Would You Kindly?
by Ravynfeather
Summary: There's no way to deny it. Rapture is, and is in, trouble. Jack Ryan knew this - He didn't know how, but he just knew it. So he forces himself to face the horrors of the North Atlantic once more, with a little bit of help from the surface... What he didn't know is that the far bigger picture is at risk: And he's the only one who can right the wrongs.
1. Prologue

**A/N: **Well, here we are again. I suppose it's back to the drawing board… Thanks to everyone who messaged me to say if they wanted this continued – It was cool to see how many people actually wanted to keep reading _Would You Kindly._

This time around, I will think more in-depth about each chapter.

Promise.

Probably.

I think.

… Yeah, I promise.

…

_Side-note:_

If you're a reader from the first time through, please feel free to tell me if the characters are close to what they were before. I don't want them to be exact duplicates (otherwise, I wouldn't be rewriting this) but I do want them to have similar personalities, speech patterns, ETC.

This story is under the assumption that you killed Cohen in his apartment, not in Fort Frolic.

Oh, one more thing…

I have a bunch of these chapters stockpiled, so, for the first 10 – 15 chapters, there should be constant updates every Sunday.

Just keep in mind that I am busy, too – I have two English and two History courses this semester, so I will have a lot to do (One of those English's is Creative Writing, which may detract from my story… Getting thrown out of the groove, and whatnot. You have been forewarned :T )

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><p><strong>Prologue<strong>

_**North Atlantic, 63° 2' N, 29° 55' W**_

**1965, Several Weeks after the Anniversary of the Death of F. Fontaine**

Jack Ryan sat in the back of a Cessna 182 Floatplane. He had a pair of noise cancelling earphones on, which barely managed to do the job it was intended to do. Around him, the three other seats in the plane were empty – He was the only passenger on this flight.

For several startling seconds, the plane shook. Jack shifted in his seat. "Are we gonna make it with this storm?" He called over the noise of the plane, the battering rain, and the thunder, watching the doorway to the cockpit. "We're not going to have to turn back, are we?"

"To turn back now would be a travesty," The pilot called back, his tone sounding relaxed and, in a strange way, sarcastic. "Not to mention an absolute waste of _our_ time and _your_ money..."

"Aren't we at risk of crashing, though?" Jack frowned. He didn't really fancy the idea of partaking in another plane crash in the North Atlantic.

"It's always a risk,"

"But we won't crash," A female responded dully.

"Why not?" The male asked curiously, no longer speaking to Jack, who had to strain his ears to be able to hear them talk. The earphones were doing a terrible job of cancelling out the sound of the plane, but a wonderful job of muffling the conversation in the cockpit.

"Because we _didn't_, ergo we _won't_."

"Ah – I see."

Jack frowned, confused, frustrated, and annoyed. "You guys said the weather was ideal for flying _tonight_," He pointed out anxiously, the plane shuddering once again as thunder rolled loudly. "This storm doesn't seem very ideal."

"Variables," The woman answered deftly, not seeming very interested in chatting about weather.

"What?"

"Variables – The weather is prone to change often. It has many variables. Not all variables are preventable. One such is the weather…"

Thunder rumbled again. Jack let it signify the end of their conversation – These were strange people. Not opposed to turning a blind eye when a few extra bills are slipped into their overall payment, but they were certainly strange. Strange and confusing. They had put an advertisement for cheap floatplane flights in the newspaper. For a bigger pay, they were willing to go on a longer trip.

Jack glanced out the window, seeing the faint glow from the lighthouse. They were close… and every second they got closer, the feeling of apprehension grew stronger. He had no idea of what to expect from this trip – He didn't even know what he was going down there for. It was a gut feeling – A suspicion that something unthinkable was happening… or, at least, about to happen. He hoped he could find a way to stop whatever it was.

He sighed, trying to relieve some of the painful, dreadful, tightness that filled his chest. From the cockpit, one of the twins called back to him. "We're nearing your destination – Better collect all of your luggage." Again, the tone seemed sarcastic and dull – Half joking, half serious. They knew that Jack hadn't brought any luggage, short of what was in his pockets. Jack scoffed in response, not bothering to try to continue the conversation. He found that speaking to them was far more confusing that it should be.

But the mention of his belongings sparked a recent memory. Thoughtfully, he reached into one of his pockets, pulling out the lone object, running his finger across its velvety surface.

_**New York City**_

**The Anniversary of Frank Fontaine's Death**

Elaine McDonagh had just finished fixing something up for her daughter to eat when she heard the doorbell of her flat buzz loudly. Elaine smiled at Sophie, who thanked her for the dish, and quickly exited the kitchen, heading to the entranceway of her apartment. The buzzer went off again. "I'm coming…" She called with a hint of annoyance. Impatience was something she could barely stand, anymore. She unlocked the door and opened it, stepping back to look at her visitor. "Hello?"

"You Mrs. McDonagh?" The man who stood in front of her doorway asked. He was an average-sized fellow with mud brown hair slicked back casually. He wore a brown fedora with a matching blazer and pair of slacks. The blazer was left unbuttoned, revealing a white shirt and black suspenders. What unnerved Elaine the most were the scars that covered the man's skin. From his throat, where a large, warped scar was displayed, to the tops of his hands, he was littered with scars that ranged from unnoticeable to stare-worthy.

Trying not to eye him suspiciously, Elaine responded "I am, yes… May I ask who _you_ are?"

The man hesitated, his eyes flicking inside Elaine's apartment, as though looking for something. "… Jack."

Sophie called to her mother from the kitchen, asking for something Elaine didn't quite catch. "In a moment, darling…" She called absent-mindedly. To the stranger, she narrowed her eyes. "Just Jack?"

He smiled. A rougher type, he was – The kind you'd expect to find in a bar, or out on a farm, or even working on a railroad. When he smiled, it didn't quite match his face, as if it were just placed onto his expression of perpetual seriousness. Yet, there was something about him that Elaine couldn't quite put her finger on… Just standing there, in her doorway, this man seemed far more… pleasant than he seemed to let off.

"Mrs. McDonagh, I don't believe you want to hear my last name."

"And why's that?"

"Because you're not going to like it."

The red light switched on, screaming _Danger! Danger!_, and Elaine immediately wanted nothing to do with this man. If he won't as much as give up his _last name_, he's trouble – And Elaine refused to risk her daughter's safety. Gripping the door, she straightened her back. "Then I'm afraid I can't help you, 'Jack'. I've work to do, and my daughter has school to get to." She started to close the door on him, spooked by his reluctance reveal his name, and his knowledge of her own.

Jack stuck his foot in the doorway. "Alright, alright… You want to know my last name?" Quietly, he cleared his throat. "… Fine." The man leaned in slightly, bringing his face closer to the door so he could whisper. Exhaling heavily before speaking, he said "Ryan…" Through the crack in the apartment door, he looked her in the eye as he spoke. "… It's Ryan."

"Ryan…" Elaine tasted the bitter name, feeling a whole mix of emotions beginning to surface all at once. Slowly, she opened the door, staring at Jack with wide eyes. "… Ryan…" She repeated, her voice a whisper. "… Ryan?"

With a reluctant nod, Jack confirmed her fear. She brought her hands up to her mouth, all the blood draining from her face, her legs feeling weak. "Oh my God," She breathed. "I-I don't… Andrew sent you? Please, Sophie's already lost Bill, don't do this to her…" She pleaded quietly.

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><p>Feeling a flash of guilt shoot through his chest, Jack Ryan took his hat off, pressing it against his chest as a sign of respect and condolences. "I'm sorry, I… didn't mean to startle you." He smiled grimly, raising his other hand up, trying to show her he meant no harm. "I just couldn't let you lock me out. And… if you won't open the door for Jack, you might open the door for Ryan." Jack let his hand fall back to his side. "I'm not sent by anyone. I promise that."<p>

Elaine McDonagh stared at him like a deer caught in headlights, her eyes watery. Her hands were clasped in front of her. "Then… why are you here?"

"I came to ask a favor of you," He explained vaguely, nodding to the inside of her apartment. "May I come in?"

Elaine stared at him for a couple moments in silence. She slowly nodded, stepping aside to let him in. "I'm not going back down there," She stated quietly as she closed the door behind him. "I refuse to. Sophie's just gotten used to this world – She's even adapted to the school she's in. I'm _not_ taking her back down there, and I'll be _damned _if you try to make us."

"I'm not asking that of you," He said as they walked into what looked like the living room. "I wouldn't ask that of anyone."

"Then what is—" Elaine was cut short by a young voice. Her daughter had walked in, several books held in a leather book strap carrier.

"Who's this?" The girl of about fifteen asked curiously, slinging the book strap over her shoulder.

"His name is… is Jack…" She broke off, glancing at the man. "… Jack…"

"Rianofski," Jack filled in the blanks, catching Elaine's eye for a brief second. "It's nice to meet you, Missus…?"

The young girl smiled, looking Jack up and down. "Missus Sophie McDonagh, mister, that's my name."

"What a lovely name, Missus Sophie McDonagh. It's a pleasure to meet you,"

"Darling," Elaine interjected quietly. "You have to catch your bus; you don't want to be late again. It'll be here any minute." She walked over and gave Sophie a tight hug, whispering something into her ear with a forced smile. Sophie laughed, hugged her mother back, and rushed out of the room.

"Be safe, Sophie!" Elaine called. "I love you!" She looked distraught.

"I will!" Sophie called out before the apartment door opened, then closed.

Elaine let out a slow breath, slowly turning to face Jack. "… Should we speak over coffee?"

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><p>Elaine was a sturdy brunette in a pale blue belted shift dress. She was about forty-eight, an obviously independent woman with snappy blue eyes. She had an upturned nose and a slight jiggle – She was leggy, voluptuous, and had an intelligent enough air about her. She didn't make a lot of eye-contact with Jack, and when she spoke it was in hushed tones.<p>

"So…" She started slowly, as if trying to wrap her head around too much information at one time. "… you're Andrew Ryan and Jasmine Jolene's son? Is that right?" As she spoke, she quietly stirred her coffee with a spoon.

"Illegitimate son, yes." Jack answered casually as he took a sip from the mug of coffee that Elaine had given him. It was a strong brew – Just the way Jack preferred.

The McDonagh woman sat on the sofa that faced the one Jack was seated at. She had a look of awe on her face. "Wow…" She breathed. "That's fascinating…"

"It'll wear off," Jack grumbled, though he was just as shocked as she was when he found out – If not, more. After all, finding out that everything that a person thought was true about themselves was actually a fabricated story… Well, it'll leave them speechless, at minimum.

"Um…" She cupped the mug between her hands, setting it on her lap. "Did you… Did you happen to see Bill down there?"

"Bill McDonagh? Your husband?" She nodded, and Jack frowned thoughtfully. "I recall—" He cut short, flicking his eyes to hers. She was staring intensely at him. He closed his mouth, knowing she wouldn't like the answer he had.

Elaine stared expectantly a little while longer before nodding in an encouraging manner. "I realize that he's… _passed_. But…" She trailed off, fidgeting with her coffee mug's handle.

Jack took a breath, and then continued "When I last saw him, he was at the Rapture Central Control, just outside Ryan's office…" He looked away from her, not wanting to witness the already-pained look on her face breaking even further. "… He was speared to the wall. Ryan pinned him there – Like an effigy, or something." He figured that was the best word for it – It was better than calling Bill an example. Jack didn't look up, but he could feel Elaine staring blankly at him, her faced deadpanned.

"Goddamned monster, that Ryan…" Elaine choked out nearly inaudibly. A tear or two rolled down her cheek, and she quickly wiped them away. After a moment of collecting herself, she finally was able to speak again. "You know, I haven't so much as looked at another man since I left Rapture…" She mumbled sadly. "I don't want that. I love Bill – He will always be my husband, and he will always be Sophie's daddy…"

Jack gave her a moment of silence – A respectful gap of peace before he continued on with what he wanted to say. He felt she might have needed it. Besides… this was a touchy subject. He couldn't just go galloping from one conversation to the next. When he felt enough time had passed, he continued: "Since I'll be down there… is there anything of his that you wanted from Rapture?" Jack asked quietly.

Elaine snapped her vision back onto Jack. "You're going back to Rapture?"

"I have to," He wondered how she didn't take that sum away from their conversation, but figured it was simply because Elaine figured _no one_ would go back to the city under the North Atlantic.

"Why?" She demanded, vigor backing up her words. "You got out, you don't need to be there anymore – You saw more than you had to. You don't need to experience any more of it!"

"I just have to, Mrs. McDonagh. I can't tell you what it is… Maybe it's part of the conditioning I was put through – Like, in some way, I just can't escape Rapture. I might have this urge for the rest of my life. Maybe it's just instinct from being down there and knowing the feeling that something is going wrong. Or it could even be a false alarm. I don't know. But if I don't figure out now, I'll never be able to shake this feeling."

"That city is _not_ your responsibility," Elaine argued sternly, adopting the tone of an angry school teacher.

"It was my father's," Jack kept the edge out of his voice, the mixture of anger and grudging. "When he died, it became my own responsibility. I'll be damned if everything I've done – everything people like Bill sacrificed – is all for nothing."

"So then what do you want me to do?" She eyed him curiously with red, puffy eyes, as if trying to figure out the answer to her own question just by the way he was sitting. "What's this favor you were talking about?" Jack had a feeling she wasn't thinking along the same line that he was.

Jack took another sip from his coffee before speaking. It was time for a little bit of storytelling. "When I was down there, I helped Brigid Tenenbaum save the Little Sisters by removing the ADAM slug that was rooted in them... Used a Plasmid so I didn't have to hurt the girls. This turned them back into human girls. Tenenbaum didn't have the ability to take care of all them, and a few of them took a shining to me, so…" He trailed off, clearing his throat awkwardly. Elaine was watching him with soft eyes. She knew where this was going. "… I… I adopted a few of them…"

Elaine raised her chin skeptically. "How many is 'a few'?"

Rubbing the bridge of his nose, Jack let out a soft laugh. He knew just how pathetically sappy he was, and there was no way of hiding it from Elaine when he answered her question with a muffled mumble. "… Five." Jack never thought himself to be any sort of family man, but when those girls' faces lit up when Tenenbaum told them they were going to the surface with Jack… Well, he honestly felt… _happy_. It was _his_ family – His only _real_ family. It meant more than anything in the world to him.

"Five!" Elaine exclaimed. "Really?"

"If I had it my way, I would have brought more of them to the surface..." He delved into silence. Tenenbaum had lectured him about the 'Little Ones', telling him everything he'd have to do – It almost felt like a five-minute-out-the-door-tutorial on how to raise children. She warned him of the financial issues, the schooling, the housing… which made him choose five as his limit. The five girls he now took care of were the ones who simply wouldn't let go of his pant legs and his hands. He didn't really choose the girls… they chose him. "Anyways… I just need someone to look after them."

"And you want _me_ to do it?" She looked a little shocked.

"You're someone who… can explain to the girls why I'm not there. Someone who understands Rapture… Someone who understands Little Sisters, even if they're just shadows of one."

"Nobody can understand Rapture," Elaine sighed. "No one can understand Little Sisters, either." She drank from her own mug of coffee, and then said "How long will you be down there, do you think?"

Jack tiredly rubbed his face with the palm of his hand, leaning back in the sofa. "A week or two, I suppose. A month at the most."

"Where do you live?"

"Out in Canandaigua. It's a little country house. There's a nice plot of land around it – An orchard. I would suggest staying there for a while, if you can." He hesitated before adding "I want someone I can trust to watch the girls… and I think I can trust you with them."

"You've just met me," Elaine said pointedly. "How can you trust someone you've just met?" It was like she was asking herself that question, too.

"I think I can trust you. You made it out of Rapture, raised a child, and haven't stirred any issues. You're smart, you're well off, and you've got enough courage to do anything you need to to protect another person you care about."

Elaine sat on the couch in silence, biting her lip thoughtfully. To Jack, it seemed as though many arguments were going through her head, but another part of her was fighting them off as they surfaced. She was conflicted – Help this strange man who came to her doorway, asking for help, claiming a strange, nearly unreal story? Or set him on his way without a nanny for his girls, risking that, if he dies, it would be orphaning the poor children once more – This time with no one to care for them?

After staring at her mug, contemplating her decision, she set it down on the coffee table between the two couches that she and Jack sat on. She got up and left the room. Jack watched her curiously, but said nothing. He assumed she would explain in a moment.

When she returned to the room, she had a small, deep-blue box. "If I help you," She started, walking towards Jack. "You'd have to do one thing for me." She handed the box to him. "That's the box that held the ring Bill used to propose to me…"

Jack looked it over, running a thumb over the velvet covering. "You want me to get the ring?"

"So I can at least give him some sort of burial." She took a deep breath, linking her fingers together in front of her, as if anxious. "If you can do that for me, you can consider it my payment." She exhaled, sitting down on the couch again. "And so I will gladly watch over your girls for you."

_**North Atlantic, 63° 2' N, 29° 55' W**_

**1965, Several Weeks after the Anniversary of the Death of F. Fontaine**

The plane touched down. It took a couple of moments for it to balance properly on the surface of the water. Jack felt it rocking as he unbuckled himself from his seat. The rain outside still pelted relentlessly against the plane, but the thundering and the lightening had lightened up a bit.

"I suppose he'll want us to come back for him," The female commented as the plane stopped rocking, though it still bobbed to the tune of the ocean.

"I do imagine being four-hundred and thirty-three kilometers off the coast of Iceland _would_ pose a bit of a challenge for the return journey." The man agreed.

Jack was already on his feet, pocketing the ring case and walking to the cockpit, sticking his head in. "Is it safe to leave the plane?" He asked with a grunt. Both the red-haired siblings were sitting in their seats, legs crossed one over the other, turning to glance at Jack. They were like mirror images of each other, with one difference: The woman was reading a simple, white, leather-bound book. The man was simply holding his elbows, as if he were waiting patiently in a clinic.

"The plane, for the time being, is your sanctuary." The man responded, as though it were an obvious answer. "And you could have left at any time, if that were your wish."

"Of course, timing is everything," The woman added, flipping a page of the book. It seemed like she was reading a bible of some sort. "And it was a matter of how long you wanted to wait."

"Listen," Jack started, feeling incredibly frustrated at their fortune-cookie-like way of speaking. "I'm going to leave the plane now. If it's not safe, tell me _before_ I leave." He paused, eying the two of them expectantly.

"Any time, now…" The woman flipped another page.

Jack pursed his lips, sensing he was overstaying his welcome. "Alright…" He muttered, turning away, walking from the cockpit to the plane's hatch. "Just come and pick me in at the end of the month." He called over his shoulder as he opened the door. "I'll pay you for the trip back once you've got me in New York."

"Strange," The man commented quietly. "Such a specific date. I wonder what made him choose it."

Bracing the side of the plane's doorway, Jack slipped into the icy-cold water, feeling the slippery steps under his feet. The water, where he stood on the steps, almost reached his shoulders.

"Perhaps he remembers," The female loudly closed her book.

"Remembers what?"

"What he knows. Shall we leave, or are we going to dilly-dally here all day?"

Wading through the water, Jack turned around when he reach the top of the steps to find the man standing in the doorway, watching Jack. Without a word, the sibling closed the plane's hatch, shutting Jack out. Almost immediately, the plane started to turn in order to take off once again.

Jack let out a humorless huff of laughter. "No turning back…" He muttered, facing to the lighthouse itself.

He took a breath, and opened one of the huge lighthouse doors.

_**Rapture, An Unknown Location**_

Deep in the bowels of Rapture, where things could still resemble a livable environment, a woman sat on a velvet couch, her brown hair spilling over her unusually pale shoulders. She was not a Splicer. She was still quite human, and looked like someone who had managed to survive the horrors of Rapture: Scars riddled her skin, and dark bags hung under her eyes… It was a commonality, in Rapture. She had rather smooth features and deep green eyes which almost seemed to glow in the dimness of her Viewing Room. Her manicured nails tapped gently on the arm of the couch as she gazed over the dozens screens of video relay. Along with her living space, she seemed rather kempt and self-contained.

With a split-second decision, she ceased tapping the arm of the couch, and turned to the girl of about fifteen who stood beside the couch, waiting for the orders she knew she was about to receive. The woman smiled, her eyes not betraying her thoughts in the slightest. "Holly?"

The girl, Holly, pursed her lips. "Yes ma'am?"

"I want you to join Mr. Ryan." She looked back at the screen, watching Jack Ryan move from room to room, combing over the area for supplies and jumping at the slightest of noises. "Send him my way in one piece, if you can."

"Yes, Lady Sapphire." The girl gave a slight bow in an almost mocking fashion, and started to walk out of the room. She stopped and turned when her named was called. "Yes, ma'am?"

"It's important that you keep him alive – I wish to speak to him flesh to flesh. I think we both have some very important words to exchange."

Holly's brows knitted together in confusion for a moment, but she simply nodded and left the room. Lady Sapphire watched her leave, not looking away until the door slid shut. She had to hope that the girl would make smart choices - Sapphire didn't want to have to intervene.

After a few painfully silent moments of sitting alone in the dark, she felt something tickle her nose and she frowned, bringing her fingers to her upper lip and looked at the tips. Blood was smeared on them. She picked up a cloth, which was already covered with dry blood, off the nearby coffee table, bringing it to her nose. She gripped the couch, feeling a little dizzy. Annoying...

When it passed, she wiped the blood off her philtrum before it could dry. She cursed darkly under her breath, tossing the cloth back onto the table. She returned her attention to the screens, searching for the new visitor, her eyes flashing the dim lights.

"Welcome back, Mr. Ryan." She muttered softly, a soft smile on her red lips. "I think a little get together is in order – To celebrate such a fine occasion."

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><p><strong>I like to think that, in the first game, it was the Lutece Twins who closed the main doors on Jack when entered the lighthouse <strong>**even though they didn't exist in the franchise at the time ;a;****…**


	2. Chapter One

**1**

_**Transit Hub / Medical Foyer Bulkhead Airlock**_

The familiar smell of mold, salt water, and rot hit Jack's nose as soon as he had stepped out of the Bathysphere. Though it was jarring, it didn't take long for him to become used to the sights and smells of Rapture, again. It was like returning to a bustling city after a vacation in the country. The empty, creaking Welcome Center had seemed, in a strange way, almost enticing – Again, leading Jack to believe that the doctors who conditioned him had somehow made Rapture a part of him.

Moving on from the Welcome Center, Jack had found that the tunnels leading from the building had been repaired – Albeit, it wasn't a perfect restoration. But it was now safe for people to walk in again. Jack was aptly able to assume that this was done for him: The Welcome Center should not have been used by anyone, as no one else was allowed down in Rapture, should they even find it. He was curious as to _who_ would make these repairs to the city, though. They must have had a large assemblage of resources to be used at their whim. That was something he would have to figure out later.

But now, because of this person, Jack stood in the airlock that leads from the Transit Hub to the Medical Foyer. The bulkhead door behind him was left open. He had momentarily stopped in a mixture of caution and curiosity.

Beside the closed bulkhead door, leading to the Medical Foyer, there was an open suitcase with an Accu-Vox and a 'gift' sitting inside. Both were neatly nestled in delicate, silky papers that seemed completely out of place with their light, pastel colors. Intrigued, Jack closed the bulkhead behind him, walking over to the suitcase that sat in the corner, and crouched in front of it curiously. The 'gift' was a wrench – A red monkey wrench with a silky blue bow tied around the handle. Whoever it was who put this together for him, he didn't appreciate their sense of humor. Nonetheless, he took the wrench – A weapon is a weapon. As he pulled the bow off, letting it drop to the cold floor, he flicked on the audio diary.

"_Hello, Mr. Ryan…" _The recording was of a woman. She spoke as if she were pleased to know Jack was there, though it didn't seem like she was smiling out of joy. _"I suppose it was obvious that you would someday return – It's simply a shame that it had to be so soon. But what is it, I wonder, that made you return? An insatiable urge for adrenaline? A song bird who sang you a tune? Or, perhaps, an ignorant metacognitive train of thought brought you here? Whatever the case, I do believe that you should deliberate over the idea of leaving. I can't guarantee you will be able to leave once you move on from this point. As I cannot force you to leave, given your tendency to _disobey_, you have two options: Return to the surface… or continue forward. It's your choice. Take this as a warning… would you kindly?_" There was a click, marking the end of the message.

Jack stared down at the device, feeling the acidic burn of anger flashing through him already.. Who was that? How do they know Jack's history? And, more importantly, what the hell are they doing down here that they don't want Jack to stop? He ran his fingers through his thick, brown hair, accepting now why he was here. Tightly gripping the wrench, Jack stood. Stopping that woman was now his priority and he would make sure she fell before he left Rapture again. This wasn't just a choice to him.

This was now an obligation.

_**Medical Pavilion**_

Jack walked into the Medical Wing, kicking aside a pair of bloodied scissors that skid across the floor with a light, metallic sound. In the middle of the room, there was a counter that faced a wall, a destroyed sentry bot lying between. On the far side of the room, next to a closed off, caved-in hallway, a Big Daddy lay motionless, the Bouncer's many lights gray and lifeless. It wasn't getting up anytime soon, but it still slightly unnerved Jack. They weren't fun to fight. He knew _how_ to fight them, but he didn't enjoy it.

Because of his rather unfortunate experience prior, Jack had a fairly large, working knowledge of Rapture. Often, he was able to find items that Splicers had hidden for safekeeping. He knew how to properly use Plasmids, how to hack simple machines and safes... He knew enough to get him through Rapture and back. Whether that is something to be proud of or not is a different debate.

While he was there, Jack figured he might as well use what he knew to find anything that might be useful. It's been five years since he was last in Rapture, and he had no idea how much had changed. He didn't like _not_ knowing - It could be just as dangerous as _actually _knowing. Knowledge, and lack of, could be a dangerous thing… especially in Rapture.

Jack found a corpse sitting slumped in one of the seats in the waiting room. She had scissors rammed into her eyes, her jaw dislocated. Ignoring the sour, musky smell, Jack walked up to her, instinctively rummaging through her pockets and the small coin purse that lay next to her. Underneath the seat, a revolver sat, missing all but one bullet. She was probably going to try and save it for herself.

Above Jack, the light from the windows were suddenly blocked out as two massive sheets of metal snapped shut like large eyes. In the main room, the hanging lights flickered and danced until they all simultaneously turned off with a loud _kerchunk_ing noise. Jack was plunged into darkness, and the resounding sound of the lights being turned off faded, leaving the Medical Wing in a deafening silence.

Cautiously, keeping his back to the walls, Jack re-entered the main room, tucking the revolver in the waistband of his pants, and tightly gripping the monkey wrench. As far as he could tell, there was nothing but darkness in the room. He shuffled forward a little more, not exactly comfortable with the idea that someone could be standing a foot in front of his face and he wouldn't even see them – Not until it's too late.

A tinkling of something small, rounded, and glass echoed through the room. A slightly glowing hypodermic needle full of blue liquid rolled up to him, bouncing gently off his foot and slowing to a stop. It was an EVE Hypo. Tensing his muscles and preparing to fight, Jack called out: "Who's there?" When he got no answer, he snatched up the Hypo, not looking down in case it was a set up for an ambush.

Though he stared at the bottle reluctantly for a brief moment, as Rapture's popular drug isn't exactly a safe thing to use, Jack injected the contents of the hypo into a vein. He would have liked to get through Rapture again without actually using Plasmids, but he knew that it was impossible. ADAM, EVE… It's what keeps you on your feet. Without it, it would be very hard to survive.

The EVE released, boiling Jack's blood for several painstaking seconds, and then filling him with newfound adrenaline and energy. He clenched and unclenched his hand a few times before he was satisfied. It had been a long time since he'd had to use Plasmids. When he'd returned to the surface, he'd used them for day-to-day things, like lifting a heavy object with Telekinesis, or lighting a cigarette with Incinerate! – It stands to say that he ran out of EVE almost immediately. Not that he cared much. Better to get it all out of one's system early, and quit cold turkey. He made sure to never use it around the girls, though...

The large TV that hung from the ceiling in the middle of the room flickered to life. At first, all that was presented was the standard Ryan Industries logo. Then the live, black-and-white feed of a woman replaced it. She had staring eyes and rounded lips. She reminded Jack of someone, but he couldn't figure out whom. As soon as she started speaking, however, Jack _did_ recognize her _voice_.

"Hello, Mr. Ryan." She purred in the same tone that Jack heard on the Accu-Vox that was left for him. She lifted her chin, raising an eyebrow fluidly. "You've already helped yourself to Rapture tradition, I see. Did you long for it _that_ much?"

Jack tilted his head to the side, staring up at the screen. After briefly glancing down at his hand, which crackled with bright blue electricity, he let out a dry laugh, as if what she said was funny. Electrobolt was the last Plasmid he'd used before running out of EVE on the surface. His car had needed a quick jump, and nobody was looking. With a shrug, tossing the empty needle to the ground, Jack looked up at the woman. She was still smiling. It almost seemed like she enjoyed watching Jack think.

The black and white image broke for a moment, distorting the video, and then returned to normal, though it still flicked about in the screen eerily. "Why are you here, Mr. Ryan?" She asked baldly. She was smiling, but it was cold; a smile put on for looks. "Not for sightseeing, I assume?"

"I could ask you the same thing," Jack called out gruffly. She didn't really strike him as the 'Mustache Twirling Villain' that Andrew Ryan and Frank Fontaine came off as. In fact, she almost seemed a little harmless. "You another politician gone wrong?"

"Politician? Why, of course not. I hate politics… Never did bother with them. A trifle, droll subject." She paused, as if thinking about her next words. "I have remained in this city to do something that many have tried to do before - I am changing Rapture for the _better_. Some people, like Andrew Ryan, tried to change it to make it a sabbatical… and failed. Rapture is a society. It must be molded, cultivated, and made diverse. That's what I plan to do to it, with the only intention of making it every bit of what Andrew Ryan wanted – A place better than the surface. A _true_ rapture. But you? Well, last I checked, you were just some half portion. A petri dish experiment that someone forgot to dispose of."

"Sounds like all you're doing is making a mistake, lady – You _can't_ change a place that doesn't _want_ to be changed."

"On the contrary: You can feel it in the air, can't you? The sense of awareness that blossoms every day? Rapture _is_ being resurrected, Mr. Ryan – It's old, dusty heart is starting to get used to beating again. Slowly, tunnel by tunnel, building by building, it is being rebuilt. Why, you got here through a series of tunnels that were recently reconstructed. And the citizens are already regaining control of the shreds that they call their minds. It's only a matter of time until they are fully cognitive and active members of society again... It's all in the product, you see."

"You're producing more Plasmids?"

"Not just 'Plasmids'. Believe me, if it were that _easy_, Rapture would already be up and on its feet. No… They're Plasmids that squander the effects of addiction and drug-use by giving a longer lasting effect every time it's used, eliminating the need for more – It's effect wanes off slowly, so the user is less likely to be in a frenzied state when they need their 'fix'. All this, and more, is manufactured by _Sapphire Productions_ – I'm still working on the name... But the product is what matters. It's all _very_ affordable, in the interest of the economy and the average amount of money each citizen may have. Besides, I'm not worried about being paid."

Jack flexed his hand as a wave of blue electricity buzzed through it, lighting up his veins. "Didn't you learn _anything_ from Andrew Ryan, or even Frank Fontaine? This city was _meant_ to fall. There's nothing left _to_ save. It's where it belongs – Rock bottom. Thousands of people will _die_ if you try to reconstruct the city. It's the exact same mistake, just with some _Dumb Dora_ in Andrew Ryan's place."

"Dumb Dora…" She sputtered angrily, her smooth features suddenly furious. Apparently, insulting her intelligence was the way to go. "Have you any idea of who you're _dealing_ with, you fool?"

"Do _you_?"

"An _assiduous _idiot. Rapture was once _truly_ a paradise that lived up to its name. I want to return that former beauty and grace to this arid city; I only wish to let it rise out of the diluted ashes. If you want to come back to _my_ city and romp around with deleterious behavior, then you're no better than that _yuck_, Fontaine. _That's_ what's going to get you killed, down here, Mr. Ryan – Whether it is by _my_ hands… or a Splicer's." With that, the screen delved into darkness the same time as the Pavilion's lights snapped back on, the metal plates slowly parting.

Jack blinked against the bright lights, feeling his heart start to pound quickly with the rush of an upcoming fight. Outside the Medical Pavilion, the calls of angry Splicers could be heard as they pounded on doors and came running down the hall. Jack tightened his fist around the wrench in his right hand, flexing the other hand to let the electricity flow quicker. He's been here for forty minutes and _already_ someone is trying to get him killed.

That's when you know you're doing something right.

A large woman in overalls wielding a pistol thundered down the hallway in an attempt to get to Jack first. Her beady, bloodshot eyes were trained on Jack as she let out a gurgling screech and charged at him gun-first. Waiting until she was close enough to see the spittle running down her chin, Jack ducked to the side, whacking the wrench across the hand that held her gun, forcing her to drop it. She stumbled and turned to face him, both furious and shocked. After the sound of a gun going off, she was on the floor, a bullet-sized hole between her eyes. Jack tossed his now-empty revolver to the floor and picked up the woman's pistol, checking the amount of ammunition. Satisfied that it was full up, he hurriedly checked her pockets for more useful things.

When he stood, he found himself facing a Splicer that practically offed his head the moment he turned.

The Spider Splicer lashed out with its razor-sharp hook at Jack again, this time missing completely when Jack jumped back, alarmed. Jack pressed a palm against its chest and let out a shock of energy, sending it flailing across the room. Barely having time to aim, Jack shot the revolver at it and two other Splicers who came rushing into the room. He almost slipped in the pooling blood of the large woman who first attacked him, practically doing the splits.

While Jack struggled with his footing, a fifth Splicer, a younger man in a tattered three piece suit, managed to get the jump on him, knocking Jack to the floor. Both he and the Splicer landed in the pooling blood, and Jack could feel its sickly warmth as it seeped into the back of his shirt. The wrench and revolver slid across the floor, leaving Jack weaponless under the surprising weight of the young man, who stared down at him with crazed – yet faintly desperate – eyes.

The Splicer wrapped his fingers around Jack's neck, his dirty thumb nails digging into the skin of Jack's neck on either side of the windpipe. "You fuckin' _wolf_!" The man spat – quite literally, as flecks of spittle landed on Jack's face. "You fuckin' _sleaze_! I'll _die_ before you lie to me again. _Again_!" He gripped Jack's neck tighter and yanked it to and fro, smacking the back of Jack's head off the tiled floor over and over. Shocked, dazed, and unable to breath, Jack tried reaching for the wrench, as the revolver was too far away, but was missing it by a hair's breadth. Too panicked to remember he had his Plasmids, he tried worming out of the Splicer's grasp fruitlessly.

He was panicking. Panicking was dangerous – It's what kills a person. But he was thrown into a fight before he was prepared. It was hard _not_ to panic. Especially since he couldn't breathe.

"_Fuck_ you!" The Splicer howled, throwing Jack's head against the bloody floor for emphasis. "_Fuck_ you!"

Thinking quickly, Jack reached for the man's face, digging his nails into the Splicer's scalp and pulling him forward. With as much strength as he could, Jack pushed his thumbs into the man's eyes – Not the most settling way to get an attacker off, but it would do the trick just fine. Veins snapped and popped as Jack forced his thumbs into the soft tissue of the Splicer's eyes, blood streaming down his arms. Instantly, the young man let go of Jack, his hands going to his own eyes. "_Sunnovabitch_!" The Splicer roared, falling to his knees and elbows in pain, covering his eyes with his hands.

Feeling the pressure being lifted off his throat, Jack coughed, forcing himself to his feet. Despite the fact that he was light-headed, he staggered over to the wrench. It took a bit of effort to find a grip on the wrench, as it kept slipping, and he was dizzy to boot. After finding a hold, clutching the blunt weapon tightly as to make sure it didn't slip because of the blood that lubricated his hands, he turned on the man in the suit. He raised the wrench and brought it down hard on the Splicer's head with a sickening crunch. The young man fell backwards to the ground, his hands falling from his eyes, revealing the darkened, bloody pits.

Stumbling to his feet, Jack fumbled to pick up his revolver, coughing again. Disgusted by the sight of the young Splicer, Jack looked away, leaning against the counter that faced the room he originally came out of. "Oy vey…" He breathed, wiping his hands off on his pants, and then cleaning the blood off the handle of the wrench, using his shirt as a rag. "This going to be a bit harder than I thought…"

Facing the rest of the room, Jack cringed at the damage. He may not be as efficient as he used to be… but, according to the room full of limp bodies, he's still able to handle himself. He didn't exactly pride himself on that, but he knew he was going to need the skill.

Somewhere outside the atrium-like room, the sound of large, heavy footsteps on the floor echoed loudly. Something big was coming after Jack, and it was moving _fast_. What burst into the room, however, was not what Jack expected.

It was an enormous, gorilla-like Splicer. He had to have been easily three times Jack's size. His protruding lips were slathered in saliva, and his bulging eyes were red, bloodshot from the excessive Plasmid – and possible other drug - use. His nasty little eyes were staring at Jack with a terrifyingly longing look, as if Jack was a gift that was promised to this huge Brute. The mound of muscles grinned, revealing the biggest mouthful of human teeth that Jack had ever seen.

"Oh," The Brute purred in a guttural voice, his grin growing wider as he started to slowly advance towards Jack, using his knuckles to walk – almost as a gorilla would. It sounded as if he perpetually had phlegm stuck in his throat. "I'm 'avin' _you_…"

Jack looked up at the Splicer, in a state of shock. It took a bit of effort to be able to move, again – He tore his eyes away from the intimidatingly large man, raising his hand. Jack let loose a strong bolt of electricity, which hit the Brute in the chest. While his new attacker stood in place, jerking violently as electricity shot up and down his body, Jack made for the hallway.

The Brute had already shaken off the effects of the electricity and had his beady eyes trained on Jack. It let out a throaty sound before barreling after Jack. "Piss off, ponce!" He roared with his cockney British accent, grabbing Jack by the collar of his shirt, keeping a tight hold while he picked the smaller man up. Snorting, the Brute slammed a fist into Jack's gut, sending him flying.

With an unnecessary amount of force, Jack hit the pillar that stood in the atrium, silently watching the fight. The breath was, yet again, driven out of Jack's chest. His vision doubled for a moment, his head fuzzy, his senses disoriented. But he shook his head, trying to regain vision. When he was able to focus, he saw the Brute standing on the other side of the room with fisted hands, his eyes still fixed on Jack. "Go back to fairyland," He said in his deep, hoarse voice, then laughed as he reared himself to run down Jack again. "Here's the end for _you_!"

Terrified both at the Splicer's size, viciousness, and threateningly prolific strength, Jack pressed an arm against the pillar, using it to help him to his feet. There was no way he was going to just lie there as the Brute attacked him again. He cringed in pain, feeling the muscles in his torso convulse in disagreement. He continued anyways – He couldn't die here. Not when so many people were counting on him.

The massive Brute's grin widened as he saw Jack struggling to his feet. "Don't _move_, you!" He roared, shooting after Jack, who was now on his feet. Jack raised his hand to electrocute the Brute again, but the mountain of a man suddenly fell, his huge body dropping like a sack of old potatoes – Jack felt it through the floor. It would seem that the Brute slipped on the same pool of blood that Jack did. Regardless, Jack took this opportunity to run out of the atrium, gaining some distance. He couldn't fight this mountain in such close quarters.

"Fight me like a man, you wet ponce!" The Brute called after Jack, who looped around the hallway and back into the room. The Brute was just leaving as Jack entered.

Jack panicked slightly, unsure of what to do. This hulking man was unlike anything he'd seen before, and, with just that one throw to the gut, Jack could feel broken ribs, and taste copper in his mouth. From the corridor outside the atrium, Jack could hear the Brute taunting and searching for him. "Sissy! I'll take the fuckin' room apart! Just try and look me in the eye, you poof!" He continued to shout, romping about the halls. From the sounds of it, he'd lifted one of the benches and angrily tossed it into a wall.

Jack ducked behind the counter, reloaded his gun, and closed his eyes as he thought, breathing quickly. He could probably use the other Plasmids he had on this Splicer, but he had no idea what effect it would have, and how long it would last. He'd never seen an enemy like this before – It was like the Big Daddy equivalent to a Splicer. That being said, Jack would have to use his speed and smaller build to his advantage.

When he heard the Brute trample back into the room, Jack popped his head out from the counter and shot a ball of flames at the hulking man, then a bolt of electricity. Then, while he was stunned, he shot the pistol at his chest several times, though he was trying to aim for the head. However, Jack found that it was quite hard to jump over the counters and run away while shooting a gun at a man who was at _least _three times taller than himself.

After Jack had made some distance between them, he electrocuted the Brute again. The Splicer easily brushed off the effects of the attack, picking up one of the nearby gurneys. With a loud grunt, the mountain tossed the cart at Jack. Keeping in mind that he was faster than this man, Jack ran to the side, easily dodging the gurney. With several more shots, the Splicer grunted, slowing down. Blood started to seep through the vest and dress shirt that the Brute wore.

Jack frowned, frustrated. He aimed for the Splicer's head again, pulling the trigger… and heard the empty _click_ of the gun. He checked his pockets quickly, but couldn't seem to find any more ammunition for the revolver. Looking up, he saw the Brute was lurched over, breathing heavily. "Fuckin'…" The Brute panted loudly. "… don't move… you… _pansy_!"

_How_ was this thing not _dead_ yet?

Jack tossed the revolver to the tiled floor, gripping the wrench instead. He ran up to the hulking man, easily dodging a tired throw of the fist, and then raised the wrench. With all the strength he could muster, Jack brought the weapon down on the Brute's head – And, just like that, the Brute slumped over, practically falling on Jack.

It took a little bit of working to get the wrench out of the man's head, but, once he got it, Jack stood there, breathing rapidly, trying to catch his breath.

"Asshole…" He muttered angrily, turning away from the Brute's corpse. He cringed, wrapping an arm around his chest. "Well…" He muttered, limping back to the middle of the room. "… That could have gone a lot smoother… I suppose I _am_ out of practice…" He knelt down to rummage through the pockets of one of the Splicers, picking up its gun.

That had to be… possibly _the_ most annoying, most tedious fight that Jack had ever had to go through. And, as for the lady on the television... hopefully, he'd be able to _thank_ her in person for sending all those Splicers.

From behind him, Jack heard someone start to clap slowly. He whipped around to face them, pistol raised in the direction that the applause was coming from. He hissed from the pain of his broken ribs, but didn't let his aim waver. He'd be damned if he survived an attack from that big son of a bitch just to die at the hands of some booger.

"Bravo, sir." A young girl's voice came from the top of the television. Jack cocked back the hammer of the pistol as a warning. The girl, evidentially unafraid, simply leaned against one of the metal poles that held up the screen. She wore a dark blue frock and matching service type Oxfords. There was a utility belt with pouches attached to it that she wore loosely around her waist. She reminded Jack of some sort of scavenger, like a raccoon, or a crow... Her hair definitely fit the bill. "That was quite the show." She added with a smirk, crossing her arms over her chest.

Jack couldn't respond from both pain and puzzlement. He was trying to figure out when the girl had gotten up there… or _how_ she had gotten there.

"You can lower that gun – I'm not going to attack you…" She held her hands up, showing her lack of weapons. "… Little Moth."

There was an intense silence. Once he'd caught his breath, Jack muttered "'Little Moth'…" He took a step back to see her better. "… Who are you?"

She cautiously let her hands fall back to her sides, making certain that Jack wouldn't attack her mid-movement. "We haven't met, if that's what you're wondering." She pushed off the pole she was leaning against, holding the tips of her dress and curtsying. She straightened her back. "I'm Holly. Holly Cohen. I believe you're familiar with my late father, yes?"

"Cohen's daughter?" Jack stared at the raven-haired girl. But it didn't make sense, because… "… Cohen didn't have any kids." He growled, gripping the gun tighter. Sander Cohen _didn't_ have any children. Jack didn't even know if the man was capable of _reproducing_, let alone actually finding a woman who'd be willing to roll in the hay with Cohen. This girl clearly took Jack for some sort of rube if she thought that his intelligence was low enough to believe that _she_ was Cohen's daughter.

Jack didn't want to hear any more of it. Someone already tried to kill him, nearly succeeding. He wasn't interested in a kid doing the same.

The girl didn't even get a word out before Jack pulled the trigger with an irritated scoff.


	3. Chapter Two

**A/N:** I almost forgot to update, doo-daaa, doo-daaa... I've been busy all weekend, all the doo-daa-day...

Sorry.

This one's a bit shorter, but meh.

* * *

><p><strong>2<strong>

_**Medical Pavilion**_

Jack fired the pistol, not hesitating for her to respond. She was quite obviously lying about her identity – She couldn't possibly have been any child of Sander Cohen's. There was just no chance of that being true. She must have had an ulterior motive, and Jack didn't want to find out what it was. But, to Jack's surprise, Holly 'Cohen' disappeared, seemingly engulfed by the dark shadows that surrounded her. The next thing he knew, he heard her voice behind him. "Cool it, Grandstand, I'm just trying to help!"

Jack whipped around to face her, but was pushed a few feet back by what looked like a cloud of shadows. He caught his balance and looked at her in awe. This must be one of the new Plasmids that the woman on the screen referenced to. But where did she get the technology to make it? "What the hell…?" Jack breathed as faint shadows rippled underneath Holly's skin and dissipated.

The girl held up a hand, as if to tell him to wait, and reached into one of her pouches. She looked up and retrieved a needle full of red liquid, holding it out to him. "Here," She took a step forward. "That guy smashed the back of your head up something awful, and that big guy didn't help any."

At the mention of the wounds, the pain doubled. His head throbbed, and his entire torso felt like a magician's Dagger Chest. Eying the girl suspiciously, he reluctantly held his hand out and, with the Telekinesis, took the ADAM Hypo from her, injecting it quickly into his vein. He didn't plan on getting too close to her, and, in fact, took several steps back - He then trained the gun on her again, tossing the needle to the floor. "Get back," He ordered, nudging the pistol at her, gesturing for her to move. "I don't know who you really are - frankly, I don't care – but I know you're no daughter of Sander Cohen. And I don't want anything to have to do with you."

"I'm not here to hurt you," She held her hands up defensively. "Why would I help you just to end up trying to kill you?"

"It's not out of the question – It's happened before."

Holly stood still, unmoving, hands up. She didn't react for a while, as though she didn't really know how to respond. She swallowed thickly, eyes flicking to the television. Hands still held up, she pointed to the screen. "Have you met her, yet?"

Jack didn't lower the gun. "Who?" He demanded. They were making small talk, now?

"Lady Sapphire."

"That broad on the television?" Holly nodded and Jack scoffed. "Unfortunately. Threatened to kill me – And then proceeded in _trying_ to."

Holly took a step closer, but Jack nudged the nose of the gun at her, warning her to stay back. "I'm not going to attack." She said quickly.

"Then what the hell do you want from me?"

"I just want to know if I can help you."

Jack's brows twitched together, and he narrowed his eyes warily. "What?"

"You're not back in Rapture on vacation – You're here to stop Sapphire. I want to help."

"Absolutely _not_. I work alone – And definitely not with _kids_."

"I work alone, too." She argued quietly. Her dark green eyes glinted. "My father told me about you. You were underestimated and misunderstood, just like him." Jack almost laughed at being compared to Sander Cohen. Apples to oranges. "He did come to trust you… uh, more than he did before, at least. Not only did you help him with his quadtych, but you spared his life." She licked her lips and leaned forward a little bit. "Sapphire killed him. She saw him as a threat to her new… _society_… and just shot him."

"Why are you whispering?" Jack asked, trying to ignore the fact that Holly said this Sapphire woman killed Sander Cohen. He didn't argue, though – The girl had a strange Plasmid, and he didn't ever want to know what it could do to a person when she was angry.

"She can hear and see almost _everything_. She monitors it all." She lowered her voice even more. "… I want her dead. She owes me for what she did to my family – And it's time for all debts to be repaid in full. Just… _let me help you_. I have information that could be of use."

"No," Jack answered immediately. Uncertainly, he holstered the gun, tucking it into his waistband. It didn't seem like she was actually going to attack. Still, Jack kept on his toes. "I _told_ you: I work alone. I'm not babysitting some kid, taking them on a trip through Rapture. It's not safe for you, and it makes _me_ a target – More so than I already am." He walked away from her, trying to signify the end of their conversation.

"But I can take care of myself!" Holly protested, lowering her hands, letting them drop to her sides. To Jack's displeasure, Holly followed alongside him as he walked. "I've survived _this_ long, haven't I? Please, just let me help!"

Annoyed, Jack ignored her, beginning to check the Splicers who attacked him. He made a point of angrily rolling a body over, trying to get her to understand that he didn't want to talk to her anymore. But this kid wasn't giving up. "I'm not one of those Little Sisters – I don't _need_ you to protect me."

"Listen - Kid…" Jack stopped his rummaging, turning to face Holly angrily. "I don't _care_ if you can protect yourself. I work _alone_ – Other people just _slow me down_. If you start following me around, things are going to start moving slowly. My goal is to be in and out of here as fast as possible – Not to dilly dally, helping you when you need it, or to go sightseeing with you. I don't _like_ detours. With you along, they're _twice_ as prone to happen."

"No, _you_ listen to _me_, _Mr. Ryan_…" She lifted her chin indignantly. "I can assure you that, with me along, detours are _less_ likely to happen. I grew up down here – I should be better at avoiding said 'detours' than even _you_." She put her hands on her hips stubbornly. "Besides, I have more information than _you_ do about the things you _need_. If you want it, then you need to let me join you, 'cause I'm not giving out a word otherwise."

He glared at her, sizing her up. She couldn't have been more than fifteen or sixteen, yet she was ready to risk her life to end another. _Such is life in Rapture_, Jack grimly surmised. "What kind of information?" He growled roughly. He was, admittedly, slightly intrigued as to what she could know that Jack may not.

"I know where _she_ is – And I _know_ that's something you need. Right now, you might as well be a lost tourist down here."

Jack looked at her with suspicious eyes. "How would _you_ know that?"

"Well… Holly glanced at the shadows that briefly ran up her arm. "… I… stole a Plasmid from her. The Shadow Dancer Plasmid. I'd heard about it on an Accu-Vox and... decided to sneak into her lab to get it."

"You just… managed to sneak in? And weren't noticed at all?"

"The security for the place wasn't airtight. I managed to get in – So did others. But she stopped it fairly quick. New 'guards'. She actually used to be there to guard the place herself, but moved her own placement for the sake of safety. She was attacked – Everyone got to hear about it over the city-wide broadcast. She was right pissed."

"Do you expect me to just trust you?" She wasn't exactly teeming with a trustworthy aura. He kept a close eye on her, suspicious of every movement she made. The last thing Jack needed was a kid pulling a grift on him.

"No… But can you really afford not to if I'm telling the truth?" When Jack didn't respond, she shrugged at him. "You can trust me about as much as any Splicer down here, but there's a better chance with me - I can still tell the difference between reality and my imagination." With a smirk, she added: "Besides… if you don't let me join you, I'll just follow you around like a lost puppy."

"And what would that accomplish on your part?"

"It would annoy you,"

"I've been followed around by more annoying company…" Jack scoffed. It may not have been a physical presence, but Frank Fontaine's _Atlas_ persona sure did follow him around everywhere – _Everywhere_.

"I'll cause trouble for you," She promptly stated, as if it were a split-second decision. "I'll make sure you take a _long_ time to get to Sapphire. It doesn't matter to _me_ how long you get there." She raised an eyebrow. "Don't make this harder for yourself, Mr. Ryan."

"I won't – Apparently, I have other people to do that _for_ me."

"Of course, I can make it easier," She crookedly smiled. "I'm a valuable guide, decent enough in a fight, and not that bad of company, if I do say so myself…"

"That last part is debatable…" Jack huffed under his breath.

"Just gotta get to know me, is all…" He turned back to the corpses as Holly spoke, checking the rest of their pockets for anything of use. "… And vice versa. For all I know, my father didn't know you well at all – You could be the complete opposite of what he told me. You could be a disgusting monster who's only back in Rapture to claim it for himself. I don't know. That's because I haven't gotten to actually talk to you until now."

While looting, Jack mulled it over. He had been approached by a young woman who claimed to be fighting for the same thing as Jack: Sapphire's ultimate downfall. He could, of course, accept her offer of help and move on, letting the pieces fall where they may… or he could deny her offer, and risk losing possibly the only person in Rapture who was willing enough to give him information he needed to get to this 'Lady Sapphire' woman. Either way, it's not going to be an easy task to get done what he wants to do.

With a great deal of reluctance, he turned to the girl. She was watching him expectantly, a hint of smugness in her expression when she saw the capitulation in his. "Alright, listen _carefully _- The very _moment_ you're behind the grind, you're _gone_, understand? I'm _not_ your babysitter, and you're _not _my charge. I need to be done here _as fast as possible_ with as little blood on my hands as I can manage. There are people on the surface who depend on me – I have a family. I _can't_ be stuck down here." He growled in an authoritative tone, making sure they kept eye-contact the entire time that he spoke. "And let's get one thing straight, kid: If I see any funny business from you, or you screw me over, I will_ shoot_ you – No questions asked. I've killed far greater people than you before. I don't know you – Your death bears _no weight_ on my conscious. So, what _you're _going to do is get me to Sapphire. We're going to stop her. We're going to part ways. Got it?"

Holly grinned, obviously delighted. "Sounds like a deal, Mr. Ryan."


	4. Chapter Three

**3**

_**Medical Pavilion**_

"Do you have a plan, Mr. Ryan?" Holly asked, standing straight, hands behind her back. She walked over to a nearby wall and patiently leaned against it. She acted rather high-and-mighty after finally getting what she wanted.

Jack started to rummage through the pockets of the downed Splicers again, bothered that he kept getting interrupted. "I told you: You get me to Sapphire, we stop her…" He answered bluntly, pocketing the few Rapture Dollars that the young Splicer had had on him when he attacked Jack. There was a slight pause. Jack could feel Holly's eyes on him. He turned and looked at her, raising an eyebrow. "What?"

"You… just want to 'stop her'? That's all you've got to your plan? Haven't you got some sort of idea for a backup plan? Or… what to do when you get to her?" She asked incredulously. When Jack shook his head in answer, she let slip a trickle of laughter. "Really? No offense, Mr. Ryan, but if you want to stop her, you're going to need a more thought-out plan than that. She's no Frank Fontaine – And she's not going to just _hand _you her death the way Andrew Ryan did."

Jack checked the last body, finally standing to look at her face-to-face. "I realize that, kid. I'll of something that could work on the way there."

"Mr. Ryan, it's going to take a little more than you wracking your brain to stop her – We're going to have to work together, listen to each other's suggestions. Like I said, she's moved – It's a much harder location to get to, now. It's secluded. She's secluded. She has security. It won't be easy—"

"Holly," Jack held his hands up in a gesture of telling her to shut up. When she closed her mouth, waiting for him to say what he wanted to, Jack said: "We're not going to worry about that right now, alright? We haven't even gotten to her, yet. We'll worry about it when it becomes a problem, OK?" Then, as if it were a side thought, he added: "And would you quit calling me that?"

"Calling you what?"

"'Mr. Ryan'?" He raised hands slightly and let them fall back to his sides, as though exasperated. "What else?"

"It's your surname, though, isn't it? I didn't think we were on a first-name basis."

"We're not – But it's also _his_ name."

"Well, what do you go by on the surface, then?"

"Rianofski. It was Andrew Ryan's last name before he arrived in America." He reloaded the pistol with ammunition he'd picked off a Splicer. "It doesn't raise any questions." He cocked the gun, making sure it was ready if he needed it. "But I don't even want you calling me _that_."

Holly looked a little offended. "What do you want _me_ to call you, then? _Sir_? _Your Majesty_? Have you any _preferences_?" She asked sarcastically.

"Jack," He answered bluntly, tucking the gun in his waistband again.

"Alright… fine. Jack…" She let out a huff of laughter, as if she simply couldn't resist it. "It's funny; father didn't even call you that. He called you 'Little Moth' – Always."

"Hilarious…" Jack remarked dryly. He stopped what he was doing, looking over at Holly. "If Sander always called me by a pet name, how did you know my last name?" Jack asked suspiciously.

"It's traveled through the grape vine. Many people acknowledge the fact that you existed, but they don't really know what you look like. I didn't either – But I remember hearing about those tattoos of yours." She lifted her own wrist and pointed to it. When Jack turned away from her, evidentially ending the conversation, she let her hand fall to her side. After a moment, she spoke again: "So… _Jack_… Are we ready to move on? You _did_ say that you want to be in and out of here as fast as possible, after all…"

"I've been ready to move on for a very long time, now…" Jack muttered inaudibly. To Holly, he said "Better now than never. Where is she?" Jack asked. It occurred to him just how lost he was when it came to plans and schemes. Literally all his life, he's always had people asking – or rather ordering - him if he would kindly go here, go there, do that, do this. People like Frank Fontaine who exploited his conditioning. But they were always people with a plan. They knew what they were doing, and they only had to move their chess piece from one part of the board to the other with the simple phrase 'would you kindly'.

Looking thoughtful, Holly screwed her mouth into a cone before speaking. "It's a little hard to explain. It's not connected to Rapture – It wasn't even built at the same time. Like I said, it's rather secluded. So, as you can imagine, it's a little difficult to get to."

"How difficult is _difficult_?" Jack prompted impatiently when Holly delved into silence. He didn't have the capacity in him to hold the patience for a game of 'Twenty Questions'.

"We'll need a certain Plasmid to get to it. Her hideout only has a slot that is room enough for a single Bathysphere, which, to my understanding, is constantly there. Probably kept for emergencies."

"Then where is this Plasmid?"

"Unless it was moved, it's still in Fontaine Futuristics."

Jack pressed his index and middle fingers against his temples. He was trying to remember the layout of the city. He tightly closed his eyes. "Fontaine Futuristics…" He muttered under his breath, shaking his head. "… I don't think I've been there. I don't know how to get to it…" He's definitely heard of it – He's seen its logo printed on products and boxes. He's even seen the building itself

"If I may," Holly interjected loudly, breaking his concentration. "_I_ know how to get there. We just have to get to the Emergency Access Bathysphere, then go to the Atlantic Express Train Station." She frowned at him. "Like I said, I know a lot about Rapture. If you need help with something, just ask."

"I'll keep that in mind," Jack responded non-committedly. "We can get to her from the Train Station?"

"Um… sure."

"Kid – I swear to God…" He sighed irritabley. "What is that supposed to mean?"

"Well… all I can say is that I hope you're not claustrophobic." She turned and started towards the Emergency Access, not checking to see if Jack was following. "Come on, then, Busy Bottom – We oughta get to your new friend before your vacation is over."

For a brief moment, Jack only stood there, contemplating just leaving Rapture and letting this girl deal everything out, since she was so keen on the idea of it. But, now that he knew of Lady Sapphire's plan, he couldn't just leave without knowing if she'd been truly stopped or not. Letting out a long, drawn-out sigh, Jack walked after Holly. "'I am in blood, stepped in so far that should I wade no more, returning were as tedious as go o'er'…"

"What was that?" Holly glanced over her shoulder.

"Nothing…" Jack sped up to get in front of her. He didn't want to follow the strange girl – He didn't trust her enough. "Just… talking to myself."

"That so? Then you'll fit right in…"


	5. Chapter Four

**4**

_**Medical Pavilion / Emergency Access Bathysphere Station**_

The two of them, Jack and Holly, passed through the stained glass doors and around the corner. Jack half-expected it to be sealed, once again. Yet, there it was… gates wide open. He repressed a sigh of relief and followed Holly to the Bathysphere. The last thing that he wanted was a side track through Rapture. Been there, done that… Didn't enjoy it much, either.

"I don't think she can lift the genetic lockdown that Andrew Ryan placed on these, so you're still one of the only people able to use the public Bathyspheres." Holly explained as she tugged the hatch open to the pod with a loud creak, and then turned to Jack. She gestured to the inside of the Bathysphere. "When you're ready."

Jack nodded and stepped into the pod, feeling it rock under his feet unsurely. Holly followed him in, closing the door behind them. She moved to the device in the middle of the Bathysphere, pressed a button, which lit up, and pulled the lever. The Bathysphere jerked and started to descend immediately.

Sitting in a seat on one side of the device that controlled the Bathysphere, Holly standing on the other side, Jack peered over at the lit-up button. _Atlantic Express Train Station_. Well, that would be the day: Trains under the ocean. Of course, that's about as absurd as an underwater city…

That brought up a thought – Why didn't he see the Train Station's button before? Surely, he would have seen it with all the Bathyspheres he had to use. He thought about this, trying to remember why he hadn't seen it… and something occurred to him. When he first visited Rapture, he didn't really see _any_ of the other possible destinations. The only time he ever really saw them to _see_ them, was when 'Atlas' asked him to _go_ to that destination. It was like he was blind to them until someone pointed out their names.

"So, Jack…" Holly started casually, breaking into his thoughts. She rocked on her heels, her hands held behind her back. Obviously, she was up to something. She glanced at him out of the corner of her eye. "… Why don't you tell me a little bit about yourself?"

"Ha," Jack let out a huff of laughter and shook his head. "Not a chance, kid. That's not how this is going to work. We don't know anything about each other, and I'd like to keep it that way."

"Aw, come on." Holly faced him, leaning against the sliver of wall between the door and the seats of the Bathysphere. "Do you need a nudge? I'll tell you a bit about _myself_ if you tell me a bit about _yourself_."

"Listen, no offence or anything… but I don't really care about you past. I'm not here to make friends. I'm just here to stop Sapphire. What happened in _your_ history is _your own_ business, and what happened in _mine_ is _my_ business."

"Come on. What do you have to lose?" She looked at him expectantly, obviously awaiting an answer. When Jack looked away, out the large porthole window, she sighed. "Alright, I guess I'll go first, then." She folded her hands on her lap. "I was born down here, in Rapture. I don't remember all too much about what it was like before the War came to pass. My mother was never around. Father always assured me that it was because she couldn't handle being a mother, not because she didn't love us. I'm pretty sure she died in the War. I'm not all too torn up about it, though. Father was enough for me - He loved me enough for two. Besides, I grew up with just father, so it wasn't like I knew her enough to miss her – I have only the vaguest memories of my mother. Blond hair, tall… And then the rest was fabricated from what father told me."

Holly paused, as if waiting for Jack to respond. Jack glanced over, saw her staring at him expectantly yet again, and so he directed his attention back to the city as it passed by at a casual pace.

"Need a little more? … OK…" She pursed her lips thoughtfully, as if debating on what to talk about next. After a few moments of eerie silence, she continued. "A couple years ago, Lady Sapphire killed my father, as I already told you. She just… came in and attacked him. I remember two of his dancers were waltzing, and… I had been watching. When I heard the door to the flat open, I hid. I was used to having to hide from people who might want to kill either of us. Father was very good a protecting me. But… she just came in, and father warned her to not interrupt their dance. Without even waiting for him to finish, she killed the two dancers… and headed up to father's room. I didn't see it… but I heard her shoot her gun. After a while of her rummaging around the flat, she left. She didn't even seem to know I was there."

Jack, who had his arms crossed, tensed his muscles. He tried to relax, but it seemed near impossible. It wasn't Lady Sapphire who killed Sander Cohen… it was Jack. What Holly just relayed… that's exactly what Jack did. So then why did Holly think that it was Sapphire who killed her father? Perhaps she had mistaken him for her. God knows how, but there was a chance. She said she hadn't _seen_ Sapphire come in… Perhaps she just assumed. Whatever the case, Jack didn't say a damn thing. He had no obligation to tell her the truth about it. If all of Holly's anger was directed at Sapphire because of a misconception, Jack wanted to keep it that way.

Holly noticed Jack's silence, her brows twitching closer. "What's wrong?" She looked out the glass of the door, searching for whatever she thought Jack saw. "You seeing something out there?" She seemed genuinely worried, as if she had _reason_ to believe that there was something dangerous out there.

As if to _prove_ reason, the Bathysphere suddenly rocked violently, creaking loudly. Holly let out a yelp as she and Jack were sent sprawling into the leather seats. "What the hell was that?" Jack demanded as he struggled to his feet. The Bathysphere shook again, this time more dangerously than before. Despite the random attacks, the Bathysphere kept on course, determined to reach Jack and Holly's destination.

"Oh, damn!" Holly hissed angrily, pushing herself off the seat she fell onto. She looked out the glass, quickly moving from one side to the other, looking for something. "No…" She slowly shook her head. "No, no, no, no, no, no…" Nudging Jack aside, she urgently hurried to change their destination, pressing the _Apollo Square_ button and yanking the lever. "Oh, damn…" She repeated softly, her voice breathless with fear.

The Bathysphere rocked again – This time, Jack heard a sharp creaking noise. It was the kind of noise a person _never_ wanted to hear while they were in a submersible, _fathoms_ under ice-cold water. "Holly?" Jack loudly prompted. She only shook her head, muttering something quickly under her breath. "Holly!" Jack barked, this time getting her attention. She looked over her shoulder at him. "What the hell is going on?" He demanded. "What _was_ that?"

She turned back to the glass door, looking out it frantically. She seemed genuinely terrified – Not that it wasn't justified. "It… I could be anything. A shark, a-…" But, even as she spoke, Jack watched a dark shadow shoot by in the near distance. "Actually…" Even as she spoke, a couple more shadows flashed by the Bathysphere porthole. Jack was just able to make out what looked like a webbed foot, resembling something of a frog's. Holly looked over at Jack, gripping the control panel to keep steady. "… I think it's one of Sapphire's Splicers…"

"A _Splicer_!" Jack exclaimed incredulously. He moved towards the glass, as to peer into it. They were quickly approaching Apollo Square, the massive building get closer and closer. "… How could anyone survive down here? If the cold doesn't kill you, the pressure wi—" Abruptly cut off, he was sent flying to the back of the Bathysphere, slamming into one of the seats, as the attacker rammed into the glass of the pod. He grunted painfully and opened his eyes. They were starting to ascend the Apollo Square Bathysphere Station shaft… But the glass in the door had a large crack in it. "That's no good…" He muttered.

"The pressure and the cold don't matter – Not to these guys…" Holly breathed, barely looking away from the glass. "I was really hoping they'd leave us alone…"

Jack sat up, rubbing the back of his head. "Now what?" He gestured to the large crack on the glass.

"We'll have to make our way to another Bathysphere Station. I don't know about you, but I don't think this Bathysphere will make it much further."

"You said Sapphire sent those 'Splicers'?" As if being out in the North Atlantic Ocean wasn't dangerous enough, Sapphire had to add Splicers to the mix.

"In all likeliness, she probably did, yes."

"And she monitors everything?"

"Yes..." She didn't look at Jack as the Bathysphere surfaced. "… And, yes. This probably _is_ a trap."

Jack looked back out the window, water cascading down its surface. "Oh, good." He muttered sarcastically.

OK. So this was it. He was ready – With a pistol in his waistband, a wrench in one hand, electricity buzzing through the other, all they had to do was wait for the Bathysphere to finish its ascent.

They'll come out shooting.


	6. Chapter Five

**5**

_**Apollo Square Bathysphere Station**_

For a couple of stifling moments, Jack and Holly sat in the Bathysphere, not even moving to sit properly in their seats after half-falling off of them. They just stared at the fogging glass of the door. Slowly, Jack turned to look at Holly, who hadn't yet looked away from the hatch. "Are you ready to go out there, kid?" He asked quietly, as to not be heard by whatever may be waiting out there.

"Always…" She breathed almost immediately. "And you?"

Jack flexed his left hand, letting the electricity pump through it, and pulled out the pistol with his other hand, making sure it was loaded. "If you are," He replied simply.

Holly nodded and got to her feet. After lingering a moment in front of the door, she pushed it open and stepped out. The sound of a muffled song could be heard playing on the sound system. 'My Prayer' by The Platters. Jack stepped out after her, both of them glancing about the room, expecting everything and anything. Frankly, Jack assumed Sapphire would have a couple of the hulking Brutes waiting for them – Especially after seeing the difficulty Jack had taking only _one_ down.

There were bodies of Splicers littering the room, all riddled with bullets. Jack stepped up to one of them and kicked it. "These are fresh…" He muttered . When it clicked in his mind, it was already too late. From behind, his arms were gripped and restrained. "Behind you!" Jack called out in an attempt to try and warn the kid.

In front of Jack, the air made a sucking noise, and a man appeared out of thin air. He gripped one of Holly's wrists, ducked a punch she tried to swing at him, and gripped her other wrist. Shadows started to shoot towards him but froze mid-air when another man walked into both of their views. It was something about how the man just calmly walked in that made her stop.

"_My prayer_…" The man sang along with the song, walking up to Jack as he flipped a pocket knife open and closed. "… _Is a rapture in blue_… _With the world far away_…" He pressed the blade into the skin of Jack's throat – Not hard enough to break skin, but hard enough to stop Jack from nervously swallowing. "… _And your lips close to mine…_" The man smiled at Jack and gave him a slight nod. He turned his head to look at Holly. "I wouldn't do that if I were you." He warned Holly calmly, his accent a smooth, Southern twang. "Might surprise me. I'm skittish, see? I'd jump, and then this knife would cut your little friend, here. We don't want that to happen, now do we?"

Holly looked from the man, to Jack, and then back. Slowly, the shadows receded until they disappeared.

"Good girl," He smiled, straightening his back and walking back into both of their views.

"You need to let us go, or—"

"Or what?" The man interrupted, giving Holly a look of genuine curiosity. "You're not exactly in any place to be giving out threats and orders, now, are you?" When Holly didn't respond, he simply smiled yet again. Then, as if remembering something, he took in a gasp. "Oh, where _are_ my manners?" He held one hand behind his back, the other hand still flipping the blade. "My name is Wayne. Wayne Coleman."

Coleman was a fairly tall man with soft blue eyes. His hair was sandy-colored, flecked with white, and his skin was pale – Probably from his time in Rapture. Along with thin stubble, laugh-lines were prominent on this man's face, and the faintly creeping wrinkles on his face were a tell-tale sign that he couldn't have been older than 40. He wore a pair of tattered slacks, and an unbuttoned pin-striped vest over a white dress shirt.

"If you're going to kill us, just do it." Holly spat, wriggling in the man's grasp. "Don't treat us like _meat_."

"Oh, no!" Coleman pouted. "Oh, no, no, no… I don't want to _kill_ you. I just want your help, that's all."

"You expect us to help you after ambushing us like this?" Jack growled.

"Ambushing you? I didn't _ambush_ you. I simply didn't want you to attack us before we had the chance to speak. You were probably expecting to walk into a trap. Were you not?" Coleman gestured to the bodies on the floor around them. "They were here when we arrived. I helped _you_. I think it's only fair you return the favor." He casually slipped a hand into his pocket, gesturing to Holly and Jack with the blade of his knife. "I had to have you both held nice and tight because, well… in Rapture, nowadays, when someone comes up behind you, you kill 'em."

Holly opened her mouth to argue some more, but Jack interrupted her, earning a glare from her direction. "If we help you, what's supposed to make me trust that you'll just let us go?"

"Well, I'm a man of my word, of course." He gestured to the men around him. "We are the People – Atlas' People, that is. And we… are _gentlemen_."

"Oh, that's wonderful – Just what we needed." Holly drawled from behind Coleman. "More of Atlas' _twits_. I thought you all died out, already. You know… when _he_ did."

"Only the devout remain, little lady." Coleman seemed to be forcing his voice when speaking to her. Walking over to the restrained man and wrapping an arm around his shoulders, Coleman gently put the knife to Jack's throat again. He continued. "So here's the thing… I've been trying to get to Persephone for about a month, now. And Sapphire, the wonderful woman that she is, remains… reluctant to give me access. My genetic code, along with that of these here boys, is not only locked out of all Bathyspheres, but is also to be attacked by all the Sentries down in Persephone, too. Not just that, but she's filled in in the only other passage we coulda taken to get down there…" He laughed, a charming smile spreading across his lips. "Can you believe that? She blocked off an entire passage!"

"Sounds like she really doesn't want you in Persephone," Jack prompted, not returning the smile. The fact that Sapphire doesn't want Wayne Coleman in Persephone means either that he, too, was trying to stop her…. or he was just trouble.

"Agh, tell me about it…" Coleman sighed, obviously irritated by the mere thought of Sapphire. "It's like she took a distinct disliking towards _me_, for whatever reason…" He laughed softly. "I mean, no _offence_ to the woman, but I think she just might be a little bit… crazy." Coleman thoughtfully pursed his lips as he daintily tapped the blade of the knife against Jack's bare skin. "Of course, there's nothing particularly _wrong_ with that – it is, after all, how things get done – but she's messin' with Wayne's buddies, and they didn't do _anythin'_ to deserve that. If she has an issue with me, than we two can speak it out like respectable _adults_… But my men should be allowed to move as they please, don't you think?"

"That's very mature of you," Holly commented, just barely containing the full-fledged sarcasm she was obviously holding back on. "But I don't see how we can help you – This sounds like a problem you and Sapphire need to work out on your own." She writhed in the man's grasp, letting out a frustrated cry. "So if you _freaks_ would be so kind as to _let us go_…!" The man holding her had to reposition himself just to keep a grip on Holly. She kicked about furiously, but to no avail. It was only when she stopped, realizing that this would get her nowhere, did Coleman continue to speak.

"You may want to sit still for a bit, girl. And it's not _your_ help that I want," Coleman patted Jack's shoulders, then gripped and shook him, as if they were old buddies who met up at a pub. "It's _his_ help I want."

"What's in Persephone that Sapphire is trying to stop you from getting at?" Holly demanded childishly, eyes narrowed.

"A doctor," Coleman answered immediately, patting Jack's shoulder and straightening his own back. "One Dr. Sofia Lamb. She owes me, ah… _an appointment_."

"So then what do you want _me_ to do?" Jack asked petulantly. "Because I can't—"

"Dynamite," Coleman interrupted sharply. "I need dynamite. The ingredients for it, anyways. All I need is nitroglycerin, sodium carbonite, and some sort of diatomaceous earth… probably clay or sand. And my boys will take care of the rest, so long as you can get what we need." He flipped the blade one last time before pocketing it. "And all you need to do for the Sentries is get to the Rapture Central Control and remove the settin' that makes those bots attack us."

"Dynamite?" Jack echoed, shocked. "What did Sapphire block the passage with, and why does it need _dynamite_?"

"She got a bunch of those goddamned Brutes to fill up the entire passage with rubble – Old parts of Rapture from here and there that have fallen off. Some of it's even furniture," Coleman scoffed, narrowing his eyes in anger. Apparently, he _really_ didn't like Sapphire. "Either way," He continued. "It's more than my group can handle – We can't move all the debris out of the way, and Telekinesis is only so strong. Frag grenades only clear a little of what's blocking the passage at a time… but they're precious resources."

"So you decided _dynamite_ was a better solution?" Holly gave Coleman a dry glare.

"Right," Coleman seemed ignorant of her sarcasm that time. "So, all I need you to get for it is the nitroglycerin and sodium carbonite. In the interest of time, however, I might send someone else out to get the diatomaceous earth. And then you gotta remove the codes that made the security in Persephone attack us specifically."

"That's all?"

"That's all, young man. Then you may leave as you please."

Jack exchanged a glance with Holly. She looked at him with tenacious eyes, but eventually nodded firmly. They both knew that, even if they got out of their restraints, these Atlas Fanatics would probably hunt them down, again. Jack looked back to Coleman. "And what happens if you don't keep your word?" He asked malignly, his tone quiet.

"Don't you worry about that, boy." Coleman pointed his finger at Jack, wiggling it, as if scolding him. "I can personally assure you that we, as a collective group, will keep my word." He smiled at Jack expectantly, his dark eyebrows raised. "So whaddya say. Hm? Have we got ourselves a deal?"

"It's not like we have much of a choice," Jack growled pointedly.

"No," Coleman laughed good-naturedly. "No, you don't. But-" He held up his hands, "-enough of this gobbledygook." He turned from Jack, nodding to the man who held the Ryan, and then to the man who restrained Holly. "Lay 'em out, boys – Nice and gentle."

The man gripping Holly pulled out a needle from his breast pocket, pricking Holly's arm and injecting her with whatever it was. She struggled for a moment to stay on her feet, but failed, falling to the floor like a bag of books. When Jack started to protest, trying to pull away from the man who held him, Coleman just turned, and smiled at him. "Nooo, sh, sh, shh…" He hushed Jack tenderly. "It's OK. She's only knocked-out. Lonnie, here-" He gestured to the man who had been holding Holly. He had bushy hair and sideburns… most unflattering. "-He's a practiced man. A, ah, _doctor_ of sorts. He's worked a lot with Atlas, who gave him more resources to learn and train. He knows what he's doing."

Lonnie exchanged a glance with Coleman before tossing the needle to the floor, pulling another out. Without a word, Lonnie walked up to Jack and pushed the needle into his skin, compressing the plunger and letting the fluid inside it run free through Jack's bloodstream.

"Now, just relax. If you go under while you're tense, you'll wake up sore all over…" Coleman soothed as Lonnie pulled the needle out, letting it fall to the floor.

Jack blinked, trying to keep his eyes open against the drug, but was being badly beaten. He was finally freed of his restraints, and fell to the floor, trying to get back up. The last thing Jack remembered was Coleman giving orders to Lonnie.

"Careful, now – Set his head down real slow, alright? He's got a lot of work do to, and a bump on the noggin ain't gonna help…"

_**Mercury Suites, Suchong's Apartment**_

When Jack awoke, it took him a few minutes to realize what had happened. He was lying on his back in the middle of a dimly-lit room, the floor covered with rubble. He sat up with a jolt. Coleman was right – his body now ached. But he at least recognized his surroundings; if his memory served him right, he was in SuChong's apartment in Mercury Suites. "Coleman…" Jack hissed under his breath angrily.

"Good mornin', sunshine." Coleman's voice crackled its way onto the service radio that was still clipped to Jack's belt. "It's time to wake up – You've got a lot of work to do." Jack got to his feet with the aid of one of the tables that was propped onto its side. "We brought you as close to the Rapture Central Control as we could – And that apartment was about the only empty one there." Coleman continued. "So you oughta be careful. It _should_ be clear sailing, from here, but don't take any chances - Sapphire's still got you in her sights."

Jack checked to make sure that all his possessions were as he left them; his looted items and Elaine's wedding ring box. That confirmed, he unclipped the radio, bringing closer to his mouth. "If you brought me all the way over here," He growled, "Why didn't you just go do this all on your own?"

"Because Lamb is a very smart woman. A doctor… a scientist. And a lot smarter than both you and I combined, young man." Coleman answered with a huff. Soft music was playing in the background of him speaking. "Sapphire's smart, too. Not half as smart as Lamb… but smart enough. She doesn't want me down in Persephone, either, and she's got the means to keep me out. The security down in the Rapture Central Control is centered on me and my boys. I lost a few men when they tried to get in there, last week."

"Why not get some other poor shmuck to do this, then? There's gotta be someone down here willing to do it."

"Isn't that what I'm already doing?" He paused, and Jack could almost hear the grin on his face. When Jack didn't respond to his poorly done joke, Coleman cleared his throat and continued once more. "Lamb probably won't expect someone outside of Atlas' group to be helping us, so you've got the element of the surprise."

"And what about Sapphire?"

"Sapphire? Well… I only suggest you move on through as timidly as possible."

"What a real confidence booster…"

Coleman ignored his comment. "After you get to the Rapture Central Control, you'll have to take a Bathysphere to get to Arcadia – That's where you'll find the the sodium carbonite. And the nitroglycerin... I do believe there is some in that Kyburz's office, up in Hephaestus."

"And if that's already gone?" Jack asked slowly. He remembered quite well that there was some nitroglycerin in Kyburz's office – He also remembers stealing it for an even larger explosive. He didn't know if there'd be any left.

"Already gone? Did you use it?" There was a pause. "Hold on, a minute." The transmission ended.

Jack lowered the radio and looked around the room while he waited. It was empty, with long-dry blood caked onto the floors and walls. While he waited for Coleman to get back to him, Jack decided to look around for any supplies he could find, though he didn't expect much – Especially not from Suchong's apartment. The most he found was an old pep bar and a couple of sodden Rapture Dollars. By the time Coleman came back on the radio, Jack had searched the entirety of the dining room and the kitchen.

"Alright," Coleman's voice came back on the radio. "So instead of Nitroglycerin, we're going to have to use Ketone and Nitrocellulose. They boys tell me that that Langford broad should have some in her office up in Arcadia. A paranoid nutcase, that one was… Always afraid of thieves – Not a bone o' trust in that tiny little body of hers. Lucky for you, she ain't blessing us with her lovely presence, anymore, so you can just run up there and get what you need. We have bottles of the Ketone and Nitrocellulose in the nearest Pneumo so you can see what it looks like."

"Great," Jack muttered sarcastically.

"What are you whining about, kid? That's less time you have to spend away from your little Fem, here. Now I suggest you get to the nearest Bathysphere and make your way to the Rapture Central Control." He spoke with a faintly-dark tone that suggested far more than he actually said.

"Anything _else_?" Jack asked unenthusiastically.

"There's a mattress behind you, dear. Go lift it up, why don't you?"

Jack walked over to said mattress, using his foot to kick it away from the wall. A brown bag lay on the ground underneath, flattened from the weight that was on it. "A mailbag?" He asked skeptically.

"Consider it my gift to you," Coleman said lovingly. "You'll need it for transportation of 'goods'. You can keep it when we've finished doing business. Your pockets are practically burstin' open." He then proceeded to laugh rather unnecessarily, as if remembering a past joke. He sighed, then continued speaking, all business once again. His voice now had an irritated edge to it. "So get movin', kid – We can only be patient for so long."


	7. Chapter Six

**6**

_**Point Prometheus, Little Wonders Educational Facility**_

It took a couple of tries, but, eventually, Holly managed to sit up and look around, her eyes still fuzzy from the induced sleep. Her body was sore and she muttered something angrily under her breath, but she wouldn't be able to recite what she'd said if someone asked her to repeat it.

The only source of light was a lamp in the corner of the painfully small, clustered room. An empty chair sat adjacent to the bed, it's padding torn, and its insides escaping. Though the room was dimly lit, as the lamp's light was weak, she could still see the pink wallpaper, which had garish scribbles of figures drawn all over it. The ceiling, from what she could make out of it, was a patchwork creation – Several metal doors were melded together, and then placed over the gap above the room. It didn't take her long to realize that this was a makeshift prison cell.

"Do you like it?"

Holly flinched and looked about the room. The door was open, and Coleman was entering. Before it even crossed her drug-instilled mind to try and run for the door, it closed – The audible sound of its gears locking in place was heard. Coleman sat down on the chair, crossing one leg horizontally over the other, and let out a breath, as if he were perfectly content. "You look confused," He gestured to the room itself. "The room – Do you like the room?" When she didn't answer, staring blankly instead, Coleman linked his fingers together on his stomach, leaning back in the chair. "I made it just for you. That ceiling is bolted in place, you know. I want to keep you _extra _safe. You ain't exactly somethin' I run across often, you know? Clean."

"Where am I?" Holly demanded, still a little groggy from the drug. She ignored his questions and his comments – Or rather, skipped over them. Things around her seemed a little fuzzy still, but it was starting to finally wear off.

Coleman didn't seem offended by her ignorance of his question. "Point Prometheus – Little Wonders."

"Damn…" She rubbed her eyes. If she was moved to Point Prometheus, she couldn't help but wonder where Jack was moved to. Coleman shuffled in the chair, catching Holly's attention again. She glanced, but had to look back. "A radio…" She murmured, looking from the service radio to Coleman. He slovenly held it out for her. Hesitantly, she reached out for it, but he kept it just out of reach.

"Before you can have this little gift, darling, you and I need to have a chat," He set the service radio on his lap, tenting his fingers together over top. "A deal."

"Haven't we made enough deals with you?"

"One more," Coleman assured with another sweet, trademark smile. "This time, with _you_."

Sitting on the edge of the bed, Holly glared at him suspiciously. "What is it you want this time?"

"I will give you this here service radio once you agree," He thought for a moment, as if the wording of his next sentence wasn't easy to come up with. "I, ah… need somethin' from you. And you need many things from me. The radio is just for you to speak with your friend – A peace offering, if you will. I wouldn't want you to get lonely without the company of your friend," He drawled, not taking his eyes off her. "But what I wanted to talk about was your identity – That will take a little convincin', you understand?"

"Excuse me?"

As if that were a joke, he laughed lightly. "You'd be surprised how easy it is to hack into radios and the likes… I _know_ who you are. Or, rather, _what_ you are." He leaned forward and put a hand on her knee. Taken aback, Holly slapped it away, but Coleman simply replaced it with a stronger grip. "_Holly Cohen_…" He hissed through his teeth. "Sapphire's Marionette Doll. Isn't that right?" He released his grip after smiling smugly.

Holly, startled and terrified, stared at him as she backed away, crawling to the other edge of the bed, pressing her back against the cold wall. For a moment, they both stared at each other. Coleman looked far too pleased with himself to be safe. She stared at him with pursed lips, briefly flicking her eyes to the corner of the room – A camera stooped on the wall like a fat bird, watching them. To Coleman, she growled "What do you know…?"

"I know that you work with Sapphire, of all people…" Coleman shrugged. "But, hey - I can't just go around and tell people who to work for. Dictatorship, and all that noise…" He twirled a hand absent-mindedly. "But what I _can_ do, is tell _other _people about who _those _people work for. It's like a moral obligation – My eternal curse…"

"And if I just kill you, right here, right now?" Holly snarled, her shadows already forming, some blotting out the light under the bed.

Coleman didn't even flinch. "Then the two and a half dozens of men outside the door will come stormin' in and kill you."

"What makes you think I'd rather die than help you anymore, let alone be your goddamned slave?"

"You've fought hard enough, from what I've seen. Nobody who wants to die will fight that long. You would have killed me already if you wanted to die that badly."

Holly shook her head vigorously, shifting away from him quickly. "You creep…" She hissed, not looking at him at all.

"Need more of an incentive, other than your own life? Interestin'…" Coleman tilted his head curiously. "How about the rest of the willing Splicers who've surrounded your friend, and are waiting for my word to either help or hinder him?"

"I watched him take down six Splicers, including one Brute and one Spider Splicer, with just a pistol, a wrench, and a single bottle of EVE. If he can handle that, he can handle _whatever_ you have to throw at him."

"Are you so confident in his ability to defend himself that you'd be willin' to risk his life?" Coleman asked, his tone coy. He got to his feet, looming over Holly. When Holly refused to answer, Coleman continued. "No? I thought so… Because you need his help, and he needs yours. Somebody like him, who just so happened to take down Frank Fontaine – That's not something you're willing to give up so easily."

"You're _disgusting_…" Holly snarled, kicking at him, trying to push him away. "Get the hell away from me!"

Instead of being pushed away, Coleman simply gripped her ankle and pulled her forward. Holly let out a yelp before smacking him with a block of shadows, knocking him away. She pulled the hem of her skirt back to the top of her knees, bringing herself back into a sitting position. The door immediately opened, and an elderly man with red, blotchy, cancerous growths covering his face peeked in. "Need help, Guv'nor?" He asked cautiously.

Stabilizing himself after being pushed away by the shadows, Coleman looked back at Holly, straightening his unbuttoned vest and smoothing is hair. He walked over to the bed again, glaring angrily down at Holly. "No, Farish, we're fine." Coleman called, not breaking eye contact with Holly. "She's just having a temper tantrum – She'll calm down in a minute…" His tone was the type of tone that said "if she knows what's good for her…" without actually saying it. This, in turn, caused Holly to narrow her eyes angrily, pulling her knees up to her chest, feeling like a fish in a small net.

Farish nodded. "Just give a shout if you need any help, yeah?" The Splicer said as he pulled his head out of the doorway, letting the door close.

Even though the guard had left, Coleman growled, standing over Holly again: "That won't be necessary…"

* * *

><p>Wayne Coleman left Room Number One of the Little Wonders Educational Facility.<p>

It didn't take long for Coleman to convince the girl that his deal was… _ideal_. She quickly agreed, leaving behind all signs of her former violence and disobedience. The girl was a real dish, alright – But she'd take some working. Reminded Coleman of an old employee… One Miss Patsy Oswald – 'The girl who shan't be tamed', as some of the men called her. A real wild-card, that one…

Forcing himself off of Memory Lane, and onto the Contemporary Highway, Coleman whistled a tune as he walked down the hallway. Farrish stared after him, obviously dumbfounded.

"Deepenin' shadows gather splendor," Coleman sang wistfully, hands behind his back. "… As day is done. Fingers of night will soon surrender the settin' sun." He walked past one of female followers, Mrs. Laurel. He paused in front of her, smiling charmingly. "I count the moments, darlin', 'till you're here with me…" He clasped hands with her. "Together at last at twilight time."

"Why, Coleman – What's gotten you in such a good mood, you pistol?" She giggled, smiling profusely. Coleman resisted the urge to cringe – Her smile showed off two lovely rows of yellow, decaying teeth. It clashed rather well with her cancerous growths.

"I'm walking on air, Beverly!" Coleman sighed happily, drawing her in for a brief embrace. "I've just been given the opening we've been looking for, baby-doll, and we're milkin' the hell outta it." He let her go, leaving her to giggle to herself as he walked away. He continued to hum, walking up the stairs to the top floor of the building, both hands in his pockets. "Here, in the afterglow of day, we keep our rendezvous beneath the blue. And, in the same and sweet old way I fall in love again, as I did then…"

Coleman walked to the room that read 'Autopsy' above its doors. He entered the room, pleased to find it as busy as he expected.

Many of his fellow followers were at work, preparing for their newest project – The descent into Persephone. They needed a clean environment to assemble the dynamite – Meaning everything had to be swept, wiped, and cleared out. Two crates of cleaned and dried sand were moved into the room as well – Hopefully, it was enough to make all the sticks they'd need… granted the boy brings enough nitrocellulose and ketone.

The boy… He was going to take a lot more work than even the girl. He was stubborn. A real _ass_ – In more ways than one. Not that it mattered… it wasn't _him_ that Coleman had an interest in. Sure, the boy was a useful little gopher, but he wasn't worth the work. Not in the least. But the girl… She was a real piece of work, and keeping her contained was only going to be half the battle.

The other half was getting her to comply.


	8. Chapter Seven

**7**

_**Hephaestus**_

"You would think with all these 'geniuses' paradin' through Rapture, we'd be _swimmin_' in Plasmid variety." On the Accu-Vox that Jack had been listening to, Frank Fontaine loudly dropped something with significant weight, and then proceeded to rifle through some papers. Jack assumed it was a folder of papers that he dropped. "I could come up with better Plasmid ideas before breakfast. 'Seeing is Believing'? 'Feline Grace'? 'Instant Oxygen'? These aren't ideas for Plasmids, they're titles ripped straight outta some fairytale…" Frank let out an irritable sigh, and then it sounded like he flipped another page. "'Regenerate'?" He sounded intrigued, pausing, as if to read. "… 'Grow back limbs, skin, bone, and organs in a matter of minutes'… That's not as half-baked as the other ideas - And, in a time like this, a time of war, that's somethin' we can use. Just add a little more… 'appeal' factor to it. A little hair growth here, a little wrinkle reduction there, and we're golden."

Jack scoffed at the recorder. Fontaine must have cancelled the production of that Plasmid, as Jack hasn't seen it. He couldn't help but wonder what the side effects of that Plasmid were. Probably too much hair growth, or teeth regenerating before they fall out… He flinched when he heard a woman speak in the other room of the Workshops, breaking into his scary thoughts. Jack slowly inched the crawlspace door open. It was a small crawlspace, just large enough for him to lean against the wall, but he had to set his feet up on the wall adjacent.

Outside the crawlspace, however, there was a young girl peering at a locked safe. "Gee, what a neat box…" She chimed, crouching in front of it and running her hand across the surface. "Who's the Santa Clause, I wonder? I don't see no tag…" Jack watched in amusement as the young lady in a torn, beaded dress daintily placed her fingers on the dial before she pressed her ear against its door. She screwed up her mouth, turned the dial a few times, and jumped up in delight when the lock clicked, and the door gently swung open.

Kicking the crawlspace door open the rest of the way, Jack pulled his pistol out and aimed it at the girl's head, deftly, and unceremoniously, pulling the trigger as he squeezed out of his little hideout. The girl fell onto the safe, and then slowly slid onto the floor. Tucking the pistol into his waistband, Jack casually pushed the girl out of the way, and then opened the safe the rest of the way, claiming its inner prizes. There was a slight pang of guilt as he glanced at the girl, but it passed quickly when he noted the Tommy gun that she had propped against the wall while she investigated the safe.

… Which he also took.

She was bound to try and kill him anyways – Was the reasoning that Jack gave himself. Besides… the people of Rapture aren't who they used to be. They're shadows of their former selves, crazed patients in an experiment, each one as eager as the other to get their teeth of EVE's tasty tit.

"Jack?"

The Ryan paused while he was checking the Tommy gun's ammunition, glancing around the dark room with rusted walls. It took him a few moments to realize it was Holly on the Service Radio. "Jack, are you still there? Or did he take your radio?"

Propping the Tommy gun against his shoulder, Jack pulled the radio off his belt. "No, I'm still here."

"Where are you?" When she spoke, she sounded slightly disheveled, angry, and tired. "Are you alright?"

"I'm fine - Worry about yourself. This is exactly the kind of thing I was talking about – We both became targets, and now we're doing chores for some psychopath…" He started out of the room, heading out of the Workshop. He needed to get to Ryan's office. "I'm heading to the Central Control now. Where are _you_, kid? Any ideas?"

"Point Prometheus. I'm in one of the Little Wonders' rooms. Not sure which room, though..."

"That's rather far. Think you can make it here in time to give me a hand?"

"I don't think I'll even be able to make it out of Little Wonders," Holly's voice sounded muffled, as if she had rubbed her face while speaking. "Coleman's got me caged in here like a songbird – I feel like one, too, with the way they just 'view' me, and how Coleman was…" She trailed off, mumbling her words. Quickly, she cleared her throat. "Anyways, there are Splicer's guarding my room, and the ceiling is a foot thick plating of door-on-door patchwork melding. If I try to get out, it could end badly."

"Sounds like he plans on keeping you there for a while, yet." Jack frowned. He wondered why Coleman chose to separate the two of them – They would have been able to find the ingredients that he needed much faster if they were together.

"Yeah, it does… But I don't plan on staying here for that long." Holly stated stubbornly, keeping her voice low. "I'll try to get away, when I get a chance, but it won't be easy."

"Don't do anything stupid, junior." Jack warned. "We need to get to Sapphire in one piece, alright? So don't get all excited the next time you see an opening. If you do something, do it _carefully_." When she didn't respond, Jack sighed. "Remember what you said about being able to take care of yourself? I need you to do that _right now_. Don't hurt yourself, and don't get yourself killed. Just wait a little longer until I get what Coleman needs, and then we can go."

"But if I have to stay here any longer, I'm going to go _crazy_…" Holly hissed. "I've got no windows, nothing to do, and the only visitor I get is _Coleman_…" She seemed to hesitate before saying: "… He's in danger of being gutted like a fish by yours truly…"

"And yours," Jack agreed solemnly, walking brusquely into the grandiose entrance that led to the Rapture Central Control and Andrew Ryan's Office. He paused just before going up the steps to the office. Bill McDonagh's body, now a pile of bones and clothing on the floor, lay under a harpoon that was stuck into the wall. Jack stared at the pile unsurely. He's looted dead bodies before… but it was only the people he had to kill. _They_ attacked _him_. And, frankly, from what Jack new of Bill McDonagh, this man didn't deserve to have his items plundered.

At the same time, this man deserved a proper burial – He literally took his life for his wife and daughter's freedom. Jack had to remember to constantly remind himself of that. Timidly, he started searching for the ring – It had to have fallen to the ground when the man's body started decaying. The problem was _where_ did it fall? It could have fallen and bounced or rolled away. It could have gotten lost down any number of the cracks and openings on the floor in the room. Hell, it could even be in his flat, or in a safe, or picked up by some Splicer who enjoys shiny things. Jack just had to hope it was still in the room.

"Jack?" Holly's voice called quietly. She seemed distant, like the radio was held far away from her. "Are you still there?"

Jack set the radio on the floor. "Yeah…" He answered distractedly as he gently moved old bones. Knowing that Elaine McDonagh asked for him to do this didn't make it any less guilting.

"Have… ou run in.. o any… ouble… ?"

"Nothing I can't handle. Holly, you're transmission is breaking up. Are you OK?"

"… at? Someth… s interfe… wi… the… connectio… ack?... ou… ere?" Static muffled Holly's words until the radio was emitting just that.

"Damn…" Jack hissed. He glared at the Service Radio as he picked up Bill's shoes. He knew exactly what the interference meant; he was about to get a metaphorical visit from someone who hated him.

Quickly, Jack shook out the shoes. He was desperate to find the ring before getting into the safety of Andrew Ryan's office. If something was going to attack him, he wanted to have a smaller environment to fight them in – Keeping the upper hand was always important in Rapture.

Nothing fell out of the loafers, other than some old bits of unidentified scraps. Something did, however, urge him to check underneath the padding of the footwear – Perhaps, if Bill knew he was going to die, he'd want to keep his ring protected.

Hurriedly, Jack clutched the thin, foam cushion, pulling it from the sole of the shoe. Lo and behold, the ring sat right in the heel. Jack breathed out, glad he wasn't going to have to go on a mad search across Rapture for this ring.

Setting the ring in its case, and then returning the case to his pocket, Jack picked up the radio, preparing to talk to the one who interrupted his and Holly's conversation. He had a feeling he knew who it was, though…

The radio crackled as a new feed connected. "Hello, Mr. Ryan." Lady Sapphire's voice emanated from the speaker of the Service Radio, just as Jack expected. He wasn't all too excited. Strangely enough, though, Sapphire sounded tired and exasperated. "I was hoping to speak to you sooner, but I had to wait until our _dearest _Mr. Coleman was no longer able to listen. The Central Control is the one place it's safe to talk, for me… And, assuming Wayne is as stupid as we all believe, perhaps it's safe for you, too."

Jack continued on to the Rapture Central Control, entering the actual Control Room itself. "Telling whispers, are we? What is it you have to threaten me with, this time? And why don't you want Coleman to hear?"

"I actually just wanted to ask a… favor… of you," She replied stiffly, as if she herself was uncomfortable with the mere thought of getting any help from Jack.

Seems like there's a lot of favors going around, as of late... "Yeah?" Jack looked around the room, searching for anything that could tell him where the Sentry controls are. All he saw were the large computers, wires, and screens. Nothing exactly screamed 'Sentry Controls'. "Well, I'm a bit busy with a favor for someone else, actually." He sarcastically drawled, leaning his Tommy gun against a wall by some of the computers. "Can you call again next week?"

"I wouldn't normally ask this of the _assassin_ who's trying to _kill _me, but I need someone who can get to him without immediately _dying_. When he gets the chance, Coleman is going to give you the instructions and codes necessary to stop the security in Persephone from attacking him – And, once I've finished talking to you, that's when he will contact you." Sapphire continued, completely waving off Jack's sarcasm. "Coleman… is _not_ a very nice man. He will use you, he will kill you, and then he'll kill me. After he's accomplished that, he and his band of _morons_ will go down to Persephone and slaughter everything they can on their way to Sophia Lamb – She will be tortured, killed, and used as an effigy to warn off the lesser."

"So what are you trying to suggest? What's this favor of yours?" As Jack couldn't make the leap…

"I want you to kill Mr. Coleman," Sapphire stated simply. "He's not as nice as he puts out, Mr. Ryan."

"So you keep saying. What makes you think I'm going to trust the word of the very woman I plan on killing?" Jack asked with a huff of laughter. "Did you really think that I would trust your word? For all I know, you're just trying to knock out some competition. Want me to wait until he kills that Lamb woman before I kill him? That what you want? I'm sure it'd make _your_ life easier, huh?"

"Let me put it in terms you _might_ understand, you buffoon – Either you kill _him_, or he'll kill _you_. I once heard a man say 'if you don't draw first, you don't get to draw at all'." She replied with a hint of edge in her voice. "And I can assure you that I _will_ be turning to Coleman with your whereabouts if you manage to slip by him without taking him down."

"Seems a little counter-intuitive, don't it?"

"Possibly. But if you let him live, if you make this _hard_ for me, I will make it even harder for _you_."

"You haven't already?"

"Oh, no… I've barely even scratched the surface, Mr. Ryan." A smile entered her voice. "You've just arrived – Why would I pull out all the party-tricks before the party even picked up?"

"Forget it –Threaten me all you want, but I'm still not doing anything for you."

"Fine," The sickly-sweet voice was dropped. "I _do_ so hope that you enjoy your short time down here, Mr. Ryan… It's been a pleasure."

"Oh, don't worry –" Jack reassured with a hint of anger. "- We'll being seeing each other pretty soon."

Sapphire let a gentle trill of laugh out, as if what Jack had said was funny. "I was hoping you'd say that, Mr. Ryan… Until then." The transmission cut, leaving Jack in the silence.

Strange.

That's the only word Jack could pin onto that conversation. It was strange. Sapphire had more resources than anyone in Rapture, other than this Sophia Lamb doctor, and yet the woman was asking someone who was trying to _kill_ her to do her dirty work. Which begs the question… _Why_? Why can't she get one of her, apparently abundant, Brutes to do it for her? Why can't she send in security bots? _Why can't _she_ do it_?

That's the obvious question. The not-so-obvious question is why she wants Coleman killed. Evidentially, Coleman doesn't have a whole lot of friends down in Rapture, so it's not entirely shocking to hear that even Sapphire wants to kill him. But she called him _Wayne_. Perhaps, like everything in Rapture, there is a bit more history between the two than Jack initially thought.

Jack sighed, trying to push it all out of his head. He didn't care – Really. He didn't Rapture was an endless plethora of secrets, knowledge, and death, and knowing about it didn't make _anyone's_ life easier. To Jack, it was so much easier to move on without knowing a single, goddamn thing about this city.

Breaking the deafening silence, Jack's radio buzzed back to life, startling him. Coleman's voice loudly sprung out of the speakers.

"What the hell have you been doin' with your radio, boy? You need to keep it on an open broadcast so I can keep in touch with you, understand? I won't be left waitin' for you again!" Coleman's angered voice bounced off the walls of the Control Room. He sighed irritably, and then continued. "I've sent you something through the Pneumo Tubes – It's the codes for Persephone's 'bots. Go ahead and get them will you? I've got the steps all ready and written down with me, so hurry back – It may take more than a few minutes..."


	9. Chapter Eight

**8**

_**Hephaestus, Rapture Central Control**_

"… and now it's going to ask you to confirm – All you have to do is type 'CONFIRM'. Simple. After that, you're finished." Coleman drawled over the speaker. "You'd better hope you got it right, sport,'cus I don't plan on repeatin' all that."

For the last time, just to check everything was in its designated place, Jack glanced over the codes Coleman had sent him, before confirming the changes. His eyes hurt from staring at the little screen for so long, and his head hurt from all the technical mumbo-jumbo that he didn't understand in the slightest. It seemed to him that computers were more trouble than they were worth… "I guess we'll just wait and see, won't we?" Jack muttered, stretching his back in the uncomfortable chair he had seated himself in.

"Ah, yes – And it will be on your head if I go down to Persephone and become riddled with bullets, wouldn't you agree?"

"Sure – And what a shame _that_ would be."

"But then," Coleman abruptly continued, sounding very thoughtful. "It wouldn't be the first death on your shoulders, now, would it?"

Jack opened his mouth to respond sharply, but no words formed. He didn't know how to react. He didn't know what to say. Coleman was obviously up to bad business, and Jack wasn't sure he liked where this conversation could lead. "Of course," He agreed slowly, cautiously. "Anyone who's been in Rapture has killed, whether they admit to it or not. It's hard to avoid."

"Oh, but you! You, sport, are a killin' machine." Coleman replied, seemingly pleased with Jack's answer. "Doctor J.S. Steinman… Ol' Peachy Wilkins, that crazy dog. You also put down the lame horse, Andrew Ryan. And let's not forget Mister Frank Fontaine, either – The big shark himself." Coleman paused long enough to let out a soft laugh. "And, my personal favorite, Sander Cohen. The man who went down thrashin'…" Jack tensed his muscles, knowing that Holly could be just around the corner from – or even in the same room as – Coleman, so he didn't respond. He simply let Coleman continue. The last thing Jack needed was Holly hearing him admit that he'd murdered her only parent. "You know… it's fascinatin', really, that the poor girl you're with hasn't tried to kill you, yet. Why would that be, hm?"

Well, wasn't Coleman just a treasure trove of secrets?

Coleman knew the answer, yet he was still waiting for Jack's reply – Simply to piss him off. Jack shook his head slowly, doing his best to keep calm. "She doesn't know."

"She doesn't know, that's right… She still thinks it was the Big Bad Blue Lady who did it, doesn't she? Now, I may not like the woman, but does she _really_ deserve to be blamed for your actions?"

"What's your game?" Jack demanded angrily, not liking where this is going.

"My game? Why, this is no game – This is real life. This is what happens out in the real world. Accidents happen, and compensation follows. It's a sort o' business."

"Why the hell are you bringing it up, then? What do you want?"

"I want you to do everything I ask, no questions asked. I want you to know who runs things, 'round here. I want you to be loyal to _me_. No backstabbing, no back-door-dealing… and no goin' AWOL. Quite frankly, I wouldn't be sayin' _any _of this if your radio was workin', earlier. But I don't trust that your radio's open broadcast just _happened_ to 'turn off' while I was tryin' to contact you." With steel in his voice, he said "I know I ain't the only down here that can interfere with a radio – Hell, even Cohen could, the crazy bastard. And you've got yourself a track-record for helpin' out whoever's pressing a gun to your back, don't you? You'd switch sides at the drop of a hat, granted you survive in the end, and that you don't have anything to lose." A ghost of a smile entered his voice, bringing back the friendly tone – Though it seemed sorely out of place when he spoke. "And now… you got somethin' to lose!" He laughed. "So you're not goin' to do anything _stupid_, are you?"

"Something to lose?" Jack echoed.

"Why, you're little dame, of course!"

"Holly…" Jack muttered under his breath, furrowing his brow thoughtfully. Was this the reason that Coleman split them up? So that he could use Holly as leverage against Jack?

"That's right, mister. And the moment I start to get nervous that you and Sapphire are in cahoots, the girl's a dead dame. You understand?"

"And if I just let you kill her?" Jack _had_ just met the girl only a couple of hours ago. It wouldn't be overly hard to get over her death – But he wouldn't be able to just let her die, either. Once again, his morals were conflicting with his priorities.

"Then I'll just have to tell the girl about how her daddy died, and then simply… let her go on her merry way." Coleman paused to laugh, as if he was envisioning the situation unfold. He then said "I got eyes and ears _all over _Rapture, boy. I have dirt on people that _dwarf_ your popularity, down here. Sometimes I accidentally find things out. Other times, I have to go diggin' for information. But, when you were first down here, you made no attempt to hide yourself, did you? You killed people without thinking' twice."

"I didn't have much of a choice…" Jack growled.

"Sport, I have nothin' against you – Don't get me wrong. But I need these rules, these _safety measures_, in place in case you flip-flop across the board." Jack could imagine Coleman smiling. "If you don't do anythin' stupid, I won't either. _Capisce_?"

"Capisce," Jack responded with a grunt. Not that he was planning anything anyways. Lady Sapphire had offered a deal, but Jack wasn't planning on accepting it – She was the lady he planned on killing, and so he had no reason to help her. Even still, he was between a rock and a hard place. On one hand, if he doesn't do what Sapphire says, Jack's head is put up for money. On the other hand, if he doesn't listen exclusively to Coleman, Jack is a dead man anyways – And so is Holly, once she kills him in a bout of revenge for her father's murder.

"Very good… Now, hop to it, kiddo – You've got some ground to cover."

_**Rapture, An Unknown Location**_

Patiently, Lady Sapphire waited for Coleman to finish speaking to the Ryan. She had a few choice words for him that he, frankly, deserved to hear with his own ears. While she waited, she reflected on her conversation with Jack – She couldn't decide whether or not it went over well.

While the man may not have openly agreed to her, Sapphire was fairly certain that she left a nagging doubt in the back of his head. If he was the type of man she thought he was, that nagging doubt would simply grow louder and louder until it was screaming in Jack's face. Of course, he could simply ignore her out of spite, which would be just as likely. Either way, Sapphire would get what she wanted; a dead Jack Ryan, or a dead Wayne Coleman. Both were preferable.

On the monitor that she was watching, Jack lowered the radio, clipping it back to his belt. Sapphire took this as a sign that Coleman was finished speaking, so she quickly made a broadcast for his radio.

When the channel opened, Coleman responded in an annoyed tone. "What do you want, kid? I'm busy." It sounded like there were people in the background, talking and bustling about.

"Wayne," Sapphire greeted him coolly, keeping her tone even.

There was a pause on the other end, as if the sound of her voice had startled Coleman. "… Ingrid." He greeted back stiffly, though his voice held a hint of humor in it, as if he were mocking her.

"Surprised to hear from me?"

"I imagine _anyone'd_ be, darlin'."

"How are you, Wayne?" Sapphire asked calmly. "It's been a while since we last spoke… Let's catch up."

"Why, that sounds like a grand idea, darlin'." Coleman agreed, though it still sounded as if he were mocking her. "As of a few minutes ago, I'm _swell_. I'm on top of the world – Like a fat kid with the keys to a candy shop."

"Ah, that sounds lovely – Things are finally looking up for you, are they? Why is that, Wayne?"

"'Cause I've got everyone under my thumb, sweetheart – You're little _Splicer_, the _boy_, and even _you_. Soon, I'll have a way to Persephone ready for me and the boys, and I'll be able to pay Doctor Lamb a visit."

"You've even got me under your thumb now, is that right? Please, _do_ elaborate…"

"I have in my possession your precious little _lackey_ – The Cohen girl. You may not act it, but I think you'd do anything to keep her from dying." He had a sickly smug tone. "I'd venture to say she's your favorite lackey 'cause of that 'exclusive' Plasmid that she uses, yeah? Must be expensive to manufacture a Plasmid that unique."

"Coleman," As much as Sapphire knew that Coleman enjoyed her anger, she couldn't hide the fury that was glaring through her voice. "You are the single most disgusting human being I've had the misfortune of meeting – Which is saying quite a lot, since I've worked with Frank Fontaine. He may have been despicable, but he at least had a line he avoided crossing at all costs. You? You couldn't care less. You think the world must cater to your needs. It's time to wake up, Wayne: This is no game – Real lives are at risk. And that girl you're-" Ingrid choked on her own words. "- _using_… She's suffering because of you. There _will_ be ramifications that you must face."

"As I recall, you're doing somethin' that'll have consequences, too, darlin': Claiming Rapture as your own. Trying to give these people back their sanity. But let me ask you something," He dropped his voice. "Do you think these people really _want_ it back? Do you think that want to see what they've become? What they've done? You ain't doing them any favors."

"They aren't any of your concern, Wayne…" Sapphire hissed. "_You_ won't be the one dealing with them." She planned on having him killed before moving on with her idea for Rapture. He would only cause more trouble to the citizens once they were cognate. "Right now, _I_ am your only concern."

"That so, darlin'?"

"Quite – And I am warning you right now: You are _not_ to touch another hair on that poor girl's head, do you understand? She is not _yours_. I will not have her returned to me in pieces because _you_ got greedy." She paused thoughtfully, and then said "You can try whatever you like with Mr. Ryan, but the girl is _off limits_."

"What's it to you, Big Blue?"

"I told you – I will _not_ have her returned to me in shambles. She is a valuable asset to me, and I will not let you _ruin_ her like you've ruined so many before."

Coleman laughed enthusiastically. "I think you're _tryin'_ to make me out as some sort of monster, baby."

"It's not very hard…" Sapphire admitted dryly with a thin-lipped smile.

"Yeah? Well, let me tell you somethin': I'm just doin' business. That's all I've _ever_ done. I ain't no monster, and I ain't stoppin' my work just 'cause you're throwin' a tantrum."

"You sound surprisingly confident for a man who knows he's about to die…"

"I expected to die a decade ago, darlin' – I'm beginning to think that I've already died, and this place is just my Hell." Coleman laughed again, though it was far more quiet this time.

"Oh, believe me, Coleman – You're still _very much_ alive. But don't worry – I'll have that fixed as soon as possible. And when it happens, when you're finally dying… _I'll _personally be there to watch you breathe your last breath."


	10. Chapter Nine

**9**

_**Little Wonders Building, Point Prometheus**_

When the connection turned to silence, Wayne Coleman lowered the radio from his mouth, smiling faintly. He remained standing in front of the large set of windows, one hand behind his back, looking out onto the rest of Point Prometheus. Sapphire sure had chutzpah – Threatening _and_ insulting the man who could control the fate of the little Splicer and her newest puppet. Brash, stupid, and steely. He liked that in a person. It amused him.

"Hey, ah, Boss?"

Coleman turned around, placing both hands behind his back, looking down curiously at the man speaking to him. "Mercer? Is there a problem?" The hefty, muscular man stood at the bottom of the steps that led up to the desk-area where Coleman stood in the newly-cleaned and reorganized Autopsy room. This was essentially an office / workroom now.

"Greer was thinkin' that we could get more men in here to work on those dynamites if we had more room to work on 'em," Mercer explained in a tone that made Coleman think this man felt as though he had better things to be doing. Coleman was fairly certain that he did not. "There anythin' we can put over the tables?"

"Ah, Mercer, my good man…" Coleman walked down the steps, wrapping an arm around Mercer's shoulders. "… Always lookin' to help, aren't you?" He spurred sarcastically. "_Of course_ there's somethin' you can put over those tables, Mercer. Why don't you and Howard head on down to the Library, hm? Pull off the back of them bookshelves, why don't you? Or, better yet, collect the shelves themselves an' bring 'em back. Sturdier, they are…" He let go of Mercer, resisting the urge to wipe the slick sheen of sweat that rubbed off onto his hand and forearm. Coleman walked out of the Autopsy room, greeting some workers, or nodding to those who were busy.

Mercer caught up to Coleman. "_Howard_?" Mercer groaned loudly. "He'll be about as much use as an inflatable dartboard, Boss."

"Now, now, Mercer…" Coleman chided, holding a finger up, wagging it disapprovingly. "Howard's a good man. He's just a lil'… frail, is all. Besides, we all have to pull our weight in this community of ours…" He paused, looking Mercer up and down. "… Some of us more than others…" He added disdainfully.

"But, Boss—"

"This ain't the time to be complainin', sport – We've got a lot to do, and _very_ little time to do it. Now, you're gonna help with those tables, and stop botherin' _me_, understand?" Coleman gave Mercer a tight-lipped smile, nodded, and then continued on down the hallways of the Little Wonders building without another word to the sweaty, slothful man.

Coleman continued down the stairs to the main floor, heading for room Number One. He felt on top of the world – Things were finally going his way, again. It took a while to steer them in the direction that he wanted things to go, but here he was: Gaining access into Persephone, about to 'encourage' Doctor Lamb to drop the whole Family act, and now he's got his own little trollop. Admittedly, she could use a few lessons on mannerisms and respect, but she's a rare find – Clean and new. Down in Rapture, there's only dirty and old… nobody wants that. Not even Mercer, the fat, picky bastard.

He turned the corner at the end of the hall, stopping in front of room Number One. "Knock, knock!" He called, rapping his knuckles against the sealed door. "Who's there?" He answered for the girl in his imitation of a female voice. "Why, Wayne, of course! Wayne who, you say?" He opened the door with a grin, laughing slightly to himself. "Wayne who, indeed…" He stepped into the room, announcing: "I've brought your little radio back, kiddo. Hope you didn't…" He stopped, his words trailing off into silence.

The girl was gone. "... Are you under the bed?" Coleman called curiously, tossing the radio onto the mattress, and kneeling to see under the steel-framed bed. She wasn't there either. He frowned. If she wasn't under the bed, then there's really only one place left to look… Except, he didn't get the chance to even tilt his head up – Holly had already let herself drop from above the doorway, knocking Coleman back to the ground.

He hit the floor with a loud grunt, hearing the door close behind him. He whipped around on the spot in time to see the last of the girl's shadows falling to the floor like mist, dissipating before it made contact. "Little shit!" Coleman cursed loudly, stumbling to his feet. He kicked the door. "Let me out!"

From outside of the room, Coleman heard a scream, a yell, and something being thrown. A couple guns went off, but the commotion didn't stop – The girl was getting away. "Goddamnit…" Coleman hissed under his breath, throwing his fist into the door again - And immediately regretting it. He sputtered in pain, holding his hand to his chest. "Jesus fuckin' Christ!" He howled. "Let me out!"

The door opened. "Oi, Guv, are you alri—" The elderly Farish barely got to finish the rest of his words before Coleman pushed him angrily out of the way, storming out into the hallway.

Coleman was _fuming_. He never really considered himself choleric, but, when the situation was right... he could be fit to be tied. Or chained. Whichever happened to be on hand.

"Which way did she go?" Coleman yelled angrily. Beverly Laurel, who had a wound across her chest that was bleeding profusely, pointed in the direction of the main building. Not even stopping to see if she was alright, Coleman immediately bolted in the direction of the Atrium – That's the only way the girl could go if she wanted to get out. "_Stupid_ girl…" He hissed furiously.

Despite the fact that he never truly Spliced up, Coleman _had_ used Plasmids and Tonics – Tonics such as SportBoost and Armored Shell (he also used FreshHair, though it would never be heard coming from his mouth that he owns a box of those tonics). And he's barely used any Plasmids – He refused to become one of the Spliced up grotesqueries that run rampant through the city - He only associates himself with Splicers who knew the difference between reality and La-La Land. One of the Plasmids he _had_ used was the BartitsuMaster, which he got rather early in its marketing - Before things went to Hell, and before Ryan re-worked the Plasmids.

Everything Coleman had was purely for self-defense. When running the kind of businesses that Coleman has throughout his life, it was important to know how to defend yourself… Tonics and Plasmids just added onto what he already knew. Better to be safe than sorry, was his motto.

It was the SportBoost that was aiding him now, because he was gaining on Holly rather quickly. He could hear her rapid footsteps from somewhere ahead of him. While running, Coleman snatched up a pipe that had fallen off its place on the wall. It would do quite nicely.

"Stay away from me!" Holly yelled acridly from ahead of Coleman. She sure was going to regret this...

Coleman ran into the Atrium, looking around for the girl. He couldn't hear her footsteps any more… It couldn't be that she had gotten away that quickly? That's not possible. She would have had to have sped up exponentially. She was still in the building with him. Besides, even if she _could_ get away that quickly, she had nowhere to go... "Oh, Holl-ly…." Coleman called in a sing-song voice. "Where've you gone, darlin'? I know you're still here…" He slowly looked around the room, being sure to actually look _up_. "I'm not goin' to hurt you, cherry… I just wanna talk, see?"

For the second time in about five minutes, he felt a weight hit him in the back, sending him stumbling forward. This time, however, he half-expected it, and managed to keep his balance. He stumbled back, spun around, and held the pipe up defensively, watching her intensely as she took a couple slow steps around him, looking for an opening. "You _fucking_ pig!" Holly spat, her words seething with an unfiltered anger.

Holly raised her arms, fingers splayed. Before she could get at him with her shadows, Coleman lashed out, using the pipe to cane her hands cruelly. She drew her hands back, crying out in pain, looking at him with an expression that was a mixture of anger and surprise – The expression quickly changed to a look of anger, and she jumped away from Coleman so that she could swipe at the pipes again with her shadows. In three pieces, the metal pipe fell loudly to the floor – She'd cut right through it.

She then tried to cut right through Coleman.

Seeing what she could do to the pipe, Coleman didn't want to give her the chance to get at him with those shadows. He ducked and dodged a few of the shadows, but felt some of them skim is arms and cheeks. It wasn't nearly enough to kill him, but it still drew blood, and that was too much for comfort. The burning, itching sensation was reminiscent of a paper-cut… only worse. Avoiding the shadows, he dropped to one knee, placed a hand on her thigh, a hand on her ankle, and then pulled. Unbalanced, she toppled to the floor. Coleman could hear the breath being driven from her chest.

Coleman remained on one knee, taking this downtime to quickly catch his breath. "You know," He started, keeping his tone level. "It's _OK_ to give up – There's no shame in it." He wanted badly for this girl to see her priorities – He wanted her to know that it would just be easier for _her_ if she stopped rebelling.

Holly coughed loudly, catching her own breath. She weakly slapped a hand on the linoleum floor, as if it would help her in her struggle to breath. Coleman got back on both his feet, standing over the girl. "Maybe for you…" She rasped, looking up at the man. "But not for me." With that, she disappeared into a mist of shadows, which quickly faded away.

Coleman hastily jumped to his feet, quickly looking around the room. "The hell…?" He breathed, eyes wide in shock. He quickly turned around, knowing she would be behind him, if anything. He turned in time to see the back of her disappear into the tunnel that led to the Bathysphere. "You lil' tart…" He spat, then yelled after her while chasing her down: "I tried to make this _easy_ for you! I tried to keep you_safe_! I even gave you a radio! These are the thanks I get?"

He slowed down a bit when he reached the entrance to the Rapture Metro. He saw Holly doubled-over, trying to catch her breath, rasping loudly. That little disappearing trick of hers must have taken a lot more out of her than she anticipated. Though it would seem that her efforts were all for naught - The Bathysphere wasn't even there, anymore. The opening to the shaft was only full of ice-cold water that gently lapped at the sides of its marble constraints.

Slowly, Holly turned to face Coleman. She was pale, the blood all drained from her face, and she was staring at Coleman with wide eyes. Terrified. Apologetic. That's the only way her expression could be explained.

Coleman didn't even feel like being smug. He was too furious to even try. "Ungrateful lil' piss ant…" He shook his head angrily, slowly walking towards the girl. "I fuckin' _told_ you to give up – And you know what? I might have actually thought about sparin' your friend's life if you did what I told you to. But, _no_… you had to be the lil' escape artist, didn't you?" Holly took a couple steps back as Coleman neared, but couldn't go much further than the steps to the Bathysphere shaft entrance. "And _now_ look where you are…"

"I-…" She swallowed nervously. "… I had to try. I couldn't just sit there _not knowing_…" The girl held a handful of her frock's skirt, as if she were a child again. "… Please, I-I won't do it again… Please…"

"If you _waited_, things we be so _shitty_, kid!" Coleman responded loudly, easily letting some of his anger show. Holly cringed physically at the sound of his voice raising. Coleman broke off abruptly, pursing his lips, clenching his hands into fists. He took a moment to shake off his irate behavior, momentarily closing his eyes. He didn't particularly _enjoy_ screaming at a young, terrified girl. When he'd calmed down, he opened his eyes and looked at Holly coldly. "Why'd you have to make this so _difficult_?" He asked quietly, his tone dark. "Things were goin' great for the both of us, but then you went and _fucked it up_. Now we hafta go working somethin' out, pertainin' to your dear friend's _life_. This isn't how young ladies should be actin'!"

"I'm so sorry… It won't happen again…" Holly breathed apologetically, flinching when Coleman started walking towards her again. "I'm sorry… Please, Coleman - Don't... don't take this out on Jack. I'm sorry…"

"No," Coleman shook his head, glaring at Holly as he walked up to her. "You're not…" He tightly grabbed her pale wrist, roughly pulling her down the steps she stood on. He started dragging her back to the Little Wonders building like she was a reluctant child. He didn't even have to glance over his shoulder while he spoke - Eye-contact wasn't necessary to display just how angry he was. "… But you _will_ be."

_**Arcadia Glens, Arcadia**_

A massive weight hit Jack's backside, sending him sprawling into the man-made creek. Sodden and frustrated, he struggled to his feet. He glared angrily at the grinning Brute who jumped down into the creek with Jack, sending a small shower of water down around them, which Jack instinctively raised his arm to protect himself from. The hulking man was hunched over threateningly, clenching and unclenching his fists in anticipation. "Holed you up good and proper, I did…" The man purred in a guttural voice. "Nice place to die, ain't it?"

"You're a stubborn son of a bitch, aren't you?" Jack huffed without breaking his glare, reloading his emptied machine gun. "Ugly, too."

"Right big tough, aint'cha?" The Brute chuckled, slowly advancing on Jack, his grin growing even wider. "I'm gonna _enjoy_ this…" He started to rear back, his pronounced muscles visibly tensing.

Taking a couple steps back, Jack found he was backed up against a wall. The water at his feet was draining into some sort of irrigation system – A small gap up the wall, blocked off by several closely-placed bars. No way was he getting under there. Looking up for another way out, he saw that the edge of the Glens was just in reach – But he would never get up in time. The Brute would reach him and pull him back down. Jack didn't exactly feel like being ingrained into the cement walls by a Spliced-up behemoth... but it might be his only way.

Jack tossed the machine gun up onto the grassy floor above the trench he stood in, and then jumped, gripping the wood-bordered edge, bracing his feet on the wall. The logs used to border the grass felt like sodden and malleable, which meant Jack had several reasons to get this right. The Brute was already running at him, bellowing something about pansies and holes. Jack wasn't really paying attention – He was too busy trying to keep hold of the wooden border with one hand while holding the other out freely.

With one blast of his Electrobolt Plasmid, the water was lit up like the night sky on the Fourth of July – But a lot less fun. The Brute let out a scream of pain. The Splicer definitely roared something, but Jack wasn't all too sure what it was – It was chopped up as waves of electricity shot through the Brute, causing his muscles to spasm, and his speech to be interrupted. But, in case this didn't kill him, Jack was already struggling over the edge of the trench, dragging himself out of the himself all the way onto the grassy ground that he held onto, Jack got to his feet and dusted off his knees before picking up the weapon he tossed up. He looked over the edge, down at the Brute.

Jack almost laughed at the Brute, who had fallen into the water face-first, his body smoldering. These guys were really getting on Jack's nerves – They were stubborn, annoying, and stupid. Add four-hundred pounds of muscle and bone into the mix… and you get something you really don't want to meet in a dark alleyway.

If it could fit in the alleyway, that is.

Just to be sure, Jack pulled out his pistol - He didn't want to have to deal with this guy anymore than he had to. He shot the Brute in the back of the head. The Brute was definitely not getting back up. The only goddamned Splicer who attacked him, too…

Turning back around, Jack figured that he should head towards the Rolling Hills – But he stopped on his spot, eyes wide with surprise, brows furrowed with confusion, mouth agape in a silent 'O'. For a moment, he really thought he was imagining things. Yet, there, standing in the overgrown grass and trees, were a pair of odd faces. A real aberrant sight. It shocked Jack into silence.

"It seems you've startled him, Robert." The lady from Jack's plane-ride to Rapture said calmly. When she spoke, she didn't look at her twin, who stood beside her. She simply stared at Jack with her startling blue eyes, her pale, freckled face emotionless.

"It would appear that way, yes…" 'Robert' stood with one hand behind his back, and one in front, whereas his sister stood with both her hands clasped in front of her, elbows jutting out to the sides.

No matter the direction they curiously tilted their heads, silently prompting a verbal response, Jack still stared at them in shock, unable to say a single word. They were the _last_ people he expected to see in the lungs of Rapture… let alone Rapture herself.

The lady blinked slowly. "This is becoming rather awkward."

Jack slowly pointed at them. "You…"

"Me?"

"No, I do believe he was referring to me." Robert disagreed with a sniff.

"What…" Jack breathed quietly. "… What are you doing down here?"

"Business."

"What _kind_ of business?"

"The enigmatic kind," The lady answered for her brother. "I suppose you could say it's classified. Only those who help the business run smoothly are in need of that information."

Jack narrowed his eyes suspiciously. The initial shock has worn off… leaving only confusion and qualm. "Then why are you here? Have you been following me this whole time?"

"We're here to…" Robert trailed off, thinking of his words. He turned blankly to his sibling. "How shall we put it?"

"Interfere." She said simply.

"Right,"

Jack stared at them incredulously. "With… _what_?"

"More than you can imagine," Rosalind answered solemnly. "But, in the process, we are also fixing something."

"And that is?"

"The variables,"

"Not this, again…" Jack sighed irritably. "What the hell are you talking about? _What_ variables?" He was beginning to think that either he himself was losing his mind, or that these twins were _insane._ Either way, he didn't like how confused it was making him. It made him walk along the line of 'angry' and 'scared'.

"That's classified – Unfortunately, you can't know. Meaning, of course, we can't tell you."

"Not here – But we _can_ tell you this:" Robert paused, as if waiting for Jack to truly pay attention. "Sometimes, the _worst_ decisions are the _best_ decisions."

"And, sometimes, then most confounding of choices are the easiest to make."

"Every day, the average human being makes hundreds of thousands of choices that affect their life in some small way."

"However, some choices have much larger results, no matter how 'good' or 'bad'." Rosalind held a finger up as to pause, her emotionless eyes flashing. "In Rapture, every choice will take a life. E.g., you, understandably, choose to kill to defend yourself. Some do not. Those who choose not to kill will _be_ killed."

In a weird way, he was beginning to understand what they were trying to tell him, but it didn't mean he agreed with them. "If you don't draw first, you don't get to draw at all…" Jack murmured thoughtfully. It was the exact argument Lady Sapphire had tried to use on him.

"Ah," Robert sounded pleased. He turned to his sister, gesturing to Jack with an open hand. "There we go. Progress."

"So I see…" Rosalind gave a curt nod. "I was beginning to think he should need a bit of a nudge."

"But… I still don't understand why you're telling me this…" Jack helplessly held his hands out, letting them drop to his sides. "Who are you people? Why are you following me around?"

"We are where we're needed," Rosalind tilted her head, as if curiously inspecting a speck of dirt.

"And needed where we are." Robert concluded. They both seemed to share a similar haughty air whenever the spoke, but it was worse when they finished each other's thoughts…

"_Who are you_?" Jack repeated demandingly. He was really reaching the end of his patience with these people. "What's your angle, here?"

The twins remained silent, exchanging a knowing look. After glancing once more at Jack, they turned, and walked into the dense foliage behind them. Annoyed, Jack hurried after them. "Where are you going?" He called bitterly. He pushed through the overgrown plants, following the sounds of the twins' moving ahead of him. They didn't speak, and didn't answer when Jack called for them to come back.

Jack reached the other side, for the most part, of the overgrown plant-life, looking about him. He frowned.

The twins were gone – Leaving Jack to his thoughts with a look of grandiose confusion.


	11. Chapter Ten

**10**

_**Research Laboratories, Arcadia**_

The stained window read _Dr. Julie Langford, BOTANIST_ in large, white, printed letters, sandwiched between two simple cursive designs.

The dark green gas that stuck to the window had faded slightly over the years, leaving spots here and there that were actually somewhat clear of the stain. But it was still obviously there, and made it near impossible to see through the glass. Jack could barely make out some sort of plant life that was pressed up against the glass. And, outside the office, it looked as if the room hadn't been entered in a long while – Jack could see a thin layer of dust on the floor before the door. It even hung in the air, tickling his nose.

As uninviting as the room appeared, this is where the nitrocellulose and ketone were, if they were _anywhere_. Jack needed the supplies to get Holly out of Coleman's little cage, so they could move on. They've already wasted enough time because of Coleman and his hatchet men, and Jack was becoming increasingly frustrated with their lack of progress. He had specifically _said_ that he wanted to be in and out of Rapture as quickly as it was possible, yet he was still hanging around, helping some criminal and his goons.

Jack was frustrated and angry with Coleman - He blackmailing Jack! And, on top of that, Jack could do nothing about it. Coleman was watching him, which meant he would know if Jack moved off course. If Jack headed towards Coleman before the southern man got what he wanted, it was Holly who could pay the consequences - And Holly was Jack's only way to Sapphire. Besides that, Jack would feel some amount of... remorse, or... guilt... if Holly were to die without reason because of Jack. At the same time, Jack _did_ warn her that something like this might happen, yet she willingly followed him anyways.

Jack cleared his mind of the thoughts with the simple shake of the head. Now was not the time to be getting lost in thought...

Cautiously, Jack entered the room, mentally and physically preparing himself for what may have been to come. He pulled out the pistol, holding it ready as he prepared to enter the office - But, to his surprise, the door had a slight issue with opening. It slid reluctantly up into the ceiling, creating a sound of snapping twigs. When Jack looked into the room, he saw why.

A healthy mixture of the Lazarus Vector and time had done quite a number of the park, but a surprisingly good job on Julie Langford's office, too.

Arcadia had claimed this room as its own. Vines and small plants grew all across the walls and parts of the ceiling. It had, of course, reclaimed bits of the Research Laboratories, but not nearly as bad as it had the main office. The potted plants that were on Langford's desk had overgrown, spilling onto the floor. The glass in front of the controls to the Arcadia Irrigation System had been shattered and penetrated by vines, and even a several branches from the neighboring trees. But possibly the most unnerving for Jack was Julie Langford herself.

Her long-dead corpse, along with that of two Splicers, lay on the floor. She had, of course, decayed. But, because of the bees, Jack assumed, since there was no wind to blow seeds, plants had grown from her body, which was now skeleton – It was hard to tell, however, because the amount of plants creeping out of her was enough to practically hide her entirely. The only part of Julie Langford's skeleton that showed was her toes. The teal and white dress she had been wearing when she died was torn, stained, and almost unidentifiable. The Splicer's corpses were much the same – They were slightly more overgrown, as they were closer together, and next to the shattered window.

Averting his eyes, Jack moved on. He needed to find the dynamite ingredients before Coleman decided to try and contact him again. He really was starting to hate the sound of that guy's voice - It always seemed to bring bad news...

He glanced around the office. "Now… Where do I start in this fubar of an office…?" He muttered to himself. When he had glanced around the room, he had noticed something hanging from the nearby tree. He walked over to the shattered window, leaning over the Arcadia Irrigation System Controls to look out at the tree. It was an Accu-Vox. It had been hung precariously on one of the tree's branches, as if someone tossed it up in the air and it got stuck on the branch.

Jack reached out and, with the Telekinesis Plasmid, plucked it off the tree branch. It was pulled towards him, and he grabbed it from the air, stepping back into the middle of the office. He set it on the table in the middle of the room, though there wasn't a whole lot of room with all the overgrown plants, and hit 'play'. While it relayed its message, Jack searched the room for the Ketone and Nitrocellulose.

It was Lady Sapphire's recording. She sounded slightly younger, and she spoke as if she didn't want anyone to hear her. "Plasmids… A revolutionary new scientific breakthrough. A new step towards the 'perfection' of mankind, as some like to put it - Like something from a novel. They're almost too good to be true, really." Sapphire spoke quietly in the Accu-Vox. "Sure, humans can cut off an abnormality, tighten their skin, and even change their sex, but Plasmids - They change the human's looks, build, gender, genes… Anything and everything. Not even the Gods can do that." She paused, and then added: "So… what does that make us?" The message ended.

Jack laughed softly to himself as he rummaged through one of the desks. "'No Gods or Kings. Only Men'…" He muttered under his breath. From the mailbag slung over his shoulders, Jack pulled out one of the sample bottles that Coleman had sent to him. Most of the bottles in Langford's office were stained with the same green gas as the windows, making it difficult to figure out which bottle was which.

In his search, Jack found a glass display dome. It was fairly small, only housing one flower. He had to clean it off on his slacks before being able to properly see it. It was a quaintly circular, blue flower, but, when the light hit it, it turned a soothingly dark purple. Its stamens were a jarring white against the darkness of the petals. The stem and the oval leaves were an even darker blue and purple than the petals. It was a pretty little plant, almost comforting. The sticker label on the glass of the display read 'Hellebores x Hybridus Metallic Blue Lady Lenten Rose'. Some parts of the sticker were completely stained with the gas, but Jack was able to read some of the rose's information.

"'Perennial. Smooth textured. Poisonous if ingested'…" Letting out a grunt of laughter, Jack set the display down. He almost wished Holly were here so he could make the obvious comparison of Lady Sapphire and the Blue Lady Lenten Rose.

Ignoring the rest of the plants in display cases, Jack searched the rest of the office. Again, his mind wandered, despite how hard he tried to focus.

He was concerned for Holly. She hadn't tried to contact him again since they last spoke, after being split up. The silence could mean a few things... Coleman could have knocked her out again, he figured, but couldn't think of a reason as to why he would. Maybe Coleman took her radio away? Or maybe he really did tell Holly about who truly killed Sander Cohen? She could be furious at Jack. She would have the right to be. She might even have the right to kill him – But Jack simply wouldn't be able to let that happen. Not with Sapphire still kicking around. If Coleman really did tell Holly, Jack might have to, unfortunately, kill her.

His thoughts suddenly went to Elaine and Sophie McDonagh. Had they not left, would Sophie have turned out the same as Holly? Would Sophie want revenge against Andrew Ryan? Jack shook his head sadly. No… She wouldn't have turned out like Holly. Sophie would have been turned into a Little Sister. With her father gone, Sophie would be much easier to steal… because Elaine would be dead. There's no way Andrew Ryan would keep her alive. Not with the things she knew.

While his train of thought quickly moved on from one thing to the next, Jack opened the large cabinet in the back of the office. There were plenty of folders filled with papers, probably research and plant archives, but no supplies. Frustrated, Jack shoved one of the piles of papers. As one of the folders tipped over and fell on him, Jack noted that he heard a hollow sound in the back of the cabinet. He rubbed the shoulder that the pile of papers hit, not really feeling the pain. He was staring at the back of the cabinet with suspicious eyes. He reached into the cabinet, knocking on the backing again.

"Oh, Langford..." He hissed as he glanced around for a stool to step on. "Always gotta make things difficult, huh?"

Once he was able to properly see into the cabinet, he started taking out the files and papers, loudly tossing them to the floor. Behind all the papers and the clutter, behind the shelves themselves, there was a door – A regular, old door. One with a handle, though the actual handle seemed to be missing. The door seemed to have the backing to the cabinet stuck to it, camouflaging it from thieves.

The door opened towards Jack, so it wasn't going to be easy to break down. So, instead, he grabbed one of the trowels off the nearby desk, and started hacking at the door.

* * *

><p>The gap Jack made in the door was finally big enough to just barely fit through. He took off his mailbag, setting it just inside the room so that he was thin enough to get through the door. The wood snagged on his clothes, but he got through relatively OK. Inside the room was dark, and the light from the office barely did anything to help. He thought about using Incinerate! to light up the room, but didn't know what was stored in this room – If it was anything that was highly flammable, he'd be caught in the midst of a large fireball.<p>

Jack searched the room for a light, finally finding it in the middle of the room, its cord hanging down to his shoulders. When he pulled the cord, turning on the light, he looked around the room. He whistled. "Would you look at that…" He eyed the small room.

The walls of the room were lined with metal bookshelves. Jars, bins, bottles, and totes were all shelved in this room, seemingly filled with different kinds of chemicals and resources that Langford may have used from time to time. On one of the totes, there was an Accu-Vox. Jack picked it up and played it.

"Those damn Saturnine keep breaking in to my office. Just last week, a group of them stole a tray of the purple Calla Lilies I wanted to plant…" Julie Langford's sharp voice angrily complained. "So I've had the small adjoining room in my office converted into a storage unit. I'll have to keep all my more important supplies in there – Otherwise, Splicers _will_ steal them. And those supplies are already expensive as it is! I think I need to speak to Ryan again about better security in the Research Laboratories, because this is ridiculous… and _highly_ inconvenient. I have to clear out my entire cabinet to get to these supplies – I've even hidden the _doorknob_ to the room. Hopefully, that's enough to keep unwanted 'visitors' out of my supplies - At least, until Ryan helps sort out this _pagan_ issue."

"I'm sure that conversation ended well for you," Jack commented dryly, setting the recorder down. Andrew Ryan wasn't huge on helping others with their businesses. He probably told her something along the lines of: "In Rapture, a farmer has the right to reap what he sows, and keep what he reaps for himself – If, however, he can protect it from the wildlife that will try to sneak morsels of it for themselves." Jack shuddered at how much likeness that had Andrew Ryan. It was frightening to him that he was so easily able to come up with something Andrew might've actually said. Of course, he could just be connecting invisible dots because he knew who his parents were...

Abandoning that thought, Jack moved on to the shelves, looking for the Ketone and Nitrocellulose. He searched each shelf carefully, looking for the right bottle, the right label, the right color, texture, fluid dynamics… When he moved on to the next shelf, still looking for the right ingredients, he started to feel a mixture of worry and annoyance. And then he moved on to the next shelf… He carefully opened each tote, looking through the cases of grouped chemicals, powders, and small notebooks. When he had to search the last shelf, he started to feel a little panicky. If he couldn't find the Ketone and Nitrocellulose, Coleman would likely try to kill Holly and Jack – Or, worse yet, tell Holly of the murder Jack had committed.

At the very bottom of the shelf, in two separate totes. Unconsciously, Jack let out a sigh of relief. "'Ketone'… 'Nitrocellulose'." He read the labels once more, aloud, as if to completely verify that this wasn't some sort of hallucination. "Finally…" He got to his feet, pointlessly dusting off his already-dirty slacks. "Just have to get these back to Coleman, and then Holly and I can move on." He carefully placed the ingredients in the mailbag. He hoped he'd grabbed enough to use, because he didn't plan on coming back.

As Jack was exiting the small room, he heard his radio crackle. "Hey, kid – You find what we need, yet?" Coleman called out.

"Yeah - Just now."

"Good. And don't worry about that diatomaceous earth – I sent some men out to grab some… You know. To spare time. Now get to a Bathysphere Station, kid, and come on down to Point Prometheus. My boys will cook us up some exploding sticks, and then… we can say our goodbyes."

* * *

><p>Jack walked through the Rolling Hills. The plant life had grown quite thick in the park, making it difficult to get to the Rapture Metro, its sign shining brightly through the foliage and the hanging vines. He was just about to get out of the density of the plants when he heard a Splicer whistling whimsically. Jack stopped, crouching low in the tall grass. He watched as a Spider Splicer used her hooks to move from tree to tree like a monkey, pausing occasionally to inspect fruit on a branch. She reached up for an apple that was hanging heavily from a branch, but stopped, looking straight at Jack. For a moment, they stared at each other with wide eyes. Her warped, scarred face had a look of slight shock on it.<p>

After a few heartbeats, the Spider Splicer looked away from Jack, plucking the apple from the tree. She then stuck the apple between her teeth, and quickly moved on, shaking the branches and its leaves in her wake. Jack watched her leave, then slowly stood up. That was… a surprisingly civil reaction from a Splicer. Jack was even about to reach for his revolver when he saw her, but she didn't even raise a finger against him. Perhaps this was the effect of Sapphire's new Plasmids…? Or maybe the Splicer was just mellow because she'd been residing in the peaceful Arcadia for a while. Jack didn't know… It was a curious subject, but he didn't really want to know. He knew too much about Rapture as it is.

Exiting the bushes, his arms itchy from the grass brushing up against them, Jack quickly entered the Bathysphere Station. When he reached the Bathysphere itself, he hesitated. The last time he was in a Bathysphere, he was making his way to Arcadia, and he hadn't been attacked by 'Splicers' - Now that Jack was on his way back to Coleman, would Sapphire still leave him be? Or would she sic the mysterious Splicers after him? He pondered this, but he came to the conclusion that Sapphire would have already killed him if she really wanted him dead. She has the resources, the people, and the power to do it – It wouldn't have been hard to corner him while he was holed up in the secret storage room.

Feeling slightly more confident, but still very edgy about it, Jack pulled open the hatch to the Bathysphere, stepping in to the rocking, groaning craft. On the panel in the middle of the Bathysphere, Jack pressed the button that read _Point Prometheus_, and pulled the lever. Immediately, the craft began to descend, departing from the station. It silently glided through the waters of the North Atlantic, the glass of the porthole catching the neon lights of signs that hung from the sides of buildings and tall skyscrapers.

Every little once in a while, Jack would see a distant shadow flicker by, but, otherwise, Jack saw no sign of these 'Splicers' that attacked him and Holly. Relaxing a bit, Jack sat down in one of the leather seats, getting comfortable for the ride to come. Watching the sea-life and the city pass by at a strolling pace was mesmerizing, which was surprisingly nice. It gave him something to look at while he delved into his thoughts and plans once more.

The Service Radio on his belt suddenly emitted a sharp buzzing noise, and then a voice spoke through it. "Jack?" Holly asked tentatively.

Jack pulled the radio off his belt almost as soon as he heard her speak. "Holly, I'm here. I've got the Ketone and Nitrocellulose, and I'm headed to Point Prometheus."

"You did...? That's great!" She sounded as if she were smiling. "That's really great… I can't wait to get out of here, you know. It's becoming stifling. I'm starting to feel a little... claustrophobic, actually."

"Don't worry; I'll get you out soon. Coleman just needs to make the dynamite with the supplies, and then we can get out of there."


	12. Chapter Eleven

**11**

_**Point Prometheus, Little Wonders**_

With the Tommy gun in one hand, Incinerate! Plasmid flaring through the other, Jack entered the Little Wonders area in Point Prometheus. Before entering, he was stopped by a Splicer who watched Jack with cynical eyes. "'Ey, you're not thinkin' that you're gonna get in here with _that_, are ya?" He asked, nodding to the Tommy gun. "No weapons allowed. 'And it over." He held his hand out expectantly.

Jack stared at them incredulously, gripping the handle of the Tommy gun tightly. "You're a special kind of stupid, aren't you?" His tone was sarcastic, yet incredibly careful - He had no idea what kind of backup Coleman had in this building. He didn't exactly want to find out the hard way...

"Whot, you don't trust Wayne?" The Splicer demanded angrily, obviously offended. It would seem that, somehow, Coleman had earned the trust of many people. How he went about doing that, Jack hadn't the faintest idea.

As if the mere mention of his name had summoned him, Wayne Coleman appeared at the Securis door, patting the Splicer on the shoulder. "It's alright, Whittridge," Coleman reassured with a smile, though he was looking at Jack as he spoke. "If it makes him feel more comfortable, let him keep it."

The Splicer frowned, but didn't argue. He stepped aside to let Jack through, who was finding it rather hard to keep the suspicion out of his expression. He knew he was failing terribly, though, because the Splicer kept Jack under a watchful glare. Jack, however, expected no less - This was a staggering amount of hospitality in comparison to what he expected.

"Come on, kid – Let's get those supplies to my demo men," Coleman motioned for Jack to follow, then walked back into the Little Wonders building. "We can chat on the way there…" He glanced at Jack. "You comin'?"

Still under the glare of Whittridge, Jack followed Coleman into the building. He kept high alert, even while he was walking alongside Coleman. "I've got what you wanted – Now let us go our own way." With an edge, he added "You're a man of your word… remember?"

"Ah yes – But first, let's get the dynamite made, yeah? Then we can say all our farewells, and part ways." They walked past a Splicer who was carrying a crate. Coleman frowned. "What are you doing with that, Gilpin? It needs to go to Room Three for storage, along with the rest of those syringes – And be careful, you big gorilla, you're smacking them around! The glass will break…" Coleman ordered in a frustrated tone, gesturing down the corridor. The Splicer obediently walked away, watching the crate with a careful, beady eye. Fascinated, Jack watched Gilpin shuffle away until he was out of Jack's sight. He'd never been able to see Splicers doing organized and purposeful work.

Jack, tired and frustrated, changed the subject back to that at hand. "Let Holly out of that room you're keeping her in, Coleman." Jack growled as they ascended the stairs to the second floor. Splicers moved from room to room, some carrying boxes of supplies, some just strolling through the building. Jack felt uncomfortable under their stares, and even more uncomfortable with the amount of them that there was. He was outnumbered by quite a lot. "What room is she in? I want to see her."

"Don't you worry, now, boy…" He waved off Jack's demand like it was an annoying fly. "Please, calm down, relax… Enjoy your stay. She's just downstairs - I'll show her to you, I promise. I've made sure she's nice and comfortable, there. Don't worry about her. You'll be able to see her in a few minutes." Coleman walked Jack to the Autopsy room. The door opened, revealing a small crew of about five Splicers who were straightening up the room. A large piece of wood was placed over the two autopsy tables, creating one large, flat surface for them to work on. Two large crates sat on the floor beside the tables, one on each side. "Just set the supplies on one of those tables, there." Coleman gesture to the makeshift work stations.

A couple of the Splicers in the room had stopped to watch Coleman and Jack, but made no move or attempt to speak to them.

"You've got quite the program, here…" Jack commented as he stiffly walked over, setting the mailbag down on the flat surface. Slowly, he started to unpack the supplies.

"We sure do, kid." Coleman agreed with a smile and a nod. "We're like a community, here. Some of the Splicers that are here were recruitments, but the majority of us are the original People. We've even got some men and women down in Persephone that were trapped there when Sapphire cracked down." He paused, watching Jack start to take out the Nitrocellulose jars. "Be sure to set those upright, now – Don't want any leaks."

"You got it…" Jack muttered, being sure to separate the Ketone and Nitrocellulose from each other. On the Bathysphere ride to Point Prometheus, Jack had a lot of time to think things through. He had a plan… of sorts. Really, it was a skeleton of a plan. Something to work from, at least – Better than nothing. It was really all a matter of how he executed it. If he messed up, he and Holly were dead.

He just had to have faith in his own reaction time.

Jack took out the last bottle of Nitrocellulose, paused, and turned his head slightly to look at Coleman. "I suppose I should thank you for your patience..." He started slowly, pretending to find interest in the bottle he was holding.

Coleman looked at him with a slightly taken aback expression. "Well, you've done us a favor, young man. I ain't got nothin' but patience - It's time that I'm afraid I didn't have much of."

"Well, I hope you can spare a little more patience to answer a few questions of mine." Jack looked up from the bottle, keeping a level stare with Coleman. Not bothering to wait for the man's response, he asked "What room is Holly in?"

The Splicers around them took little notice to their conversation, even as Coleman paused to assess Jack's angle. "I told you, I'll show you in a bit. We gotta get these dynamites finished, first. Understand?"

"You were never going to give her back," Jack growled bluntly. "Were you?"

Coleman lifted a chin. "I said _you_ may leave as you please. We didn't say nothin' about that girl."

"We had a _deal_."

"That's the thing about verbal contracts, boy - Too many loopholes. Now..." He gestured to the Nitrocellulose. "... put that down. I think we need to go have a lil' chat, don't you?"

It took great willpower to slowly set the bottle down. So many scenarios ran through his head, and each one could end just as badly as the other. Still moving at his careful speed, Jack picked up the Tommy gun, which he had leaned against one of the autopsy tables. "I don't think that'll be necessary..." Jack declared with cold determination as he quickly aimed the gun at Coleman. He pulled the trigger, but something had leaped onto his back, knocking him of hitting Coleman in the head, where Jack originally aimed, a line of bullets tore through one of the southern man's legs.

As Coleman cried out in pain, Jack struggled to throw the weight off his back. Forcefully, he ran back into the autopsy tables behind him. The sound of glass toppling to the floor was heard, and the weight was quickly lifted. Knowing how dangerous of a situation he was in, Jack stumbled a few steps forward, aiming the Tommy gun at the floor. A few Splicers were staring at Jack in shock, and others were reaching for pistols they had tucked into the waistbands of their pants.

Thinking quickly, Jack hastily aimed the Tommy gun again, sending a hail of bullets into the jars that had fallen onto the tiled floor. Immediately, a tall flames caught on the Nitrocellulose, engulfing a majority of the Splicers.

It all happened very quickly, and Jack was already out the door, only catching a little bit of the flak - Not that he really felt it. Adrenaline was a wonderful thing...

Outside the Autopsy room, the interest of other Splicers was piqued. But Jack ran past them, jumping down the two short flights of stairs, running to the first Little Sister room. He felt chill run up his spine as a bullet passed his head. He glanced back to see Coleman, bleeding heavily from one leg, aiming a pistol at Jack from across the hallway. "Stop him!" Coleman shouted, gesturing to Jack with the gun. "Close off the exits!" A few Splicers ran after Jack, and a few to help with the defending of the exits. Coleman started to limp down the hallway after Jack, who had already turned and continued running.

Heart beating a mile a minute, Jack dodged the hooks of one of the Splicer goons, slipping around the corner of the hallway. He used Sonic Boom to push away a Splicer that had ran at him with a steel pipe. Using the Tommy gun, Jack downed the Spider Splicer that tried to catch him with a hook.

In the brief period of time that Jack had, he tried for the door to the first Little Sister room – But it wouldn't budge when he pulled the lever. At least that told him that it was definitely the room that Holly was being kept in. Cursing, he shot the lever with a bolt of electricity, _then_ pulled it. The door shuddered before opening. Somewhere in the building, the sound of several security Sentries whirring and chiming to themselves echoed, bullets ricocheting off walls.

"Jack!" Holly exclaimed from the room. She was waiting on the other side of the door, obviously having heard the commotion. "You have no idea how glad I am that you're here!"

"We don't have time to—" Jack was cut off by someone who grabbed Jack by the hair near his scalp. They pulled him back, and then slammed his head into the corner of the doorway. His vision went blurry, and Jack stumbled, falling to the ground, disoriented.

"_Not so fuckin' fast_," Coleman's voice echoed, the sound of a gun cocking following his words. Pain burbled in his voice, alongside anger and hatred. "Get the _fuck_ back in that room, girl. I'm _not_ done with you." He spat, kicking Jack in the ribs with his good leg. "Get on your feet! It's 'bout time someone did the fuck away with you. You want to die on your knees?"

Holly grunted loudly, and Jack heard Coleman hiss in pain. "Fuck you!" Holly snarled. She had moved between Coleman and Jack. Jack's vision cleared just in time to see Coleman, who now had a cut on his cheek, use the pistol he held to smack Holly across the face with enough force to send her sprawling.

Somewhere in the building, the sound of a Sentry bot exploding was heard, and several Splicers cheered – Only to be cut short by several more of the bots entering the building. Coleman looked up from his two newest enemies, his face in a permanent expression of disgust and anger. He then looked down at Jack. "I fuckin' _knew_ it – You backstabbing little _shit_…" He spat on Jack, then kicked him again. "Get the hell on your feet, boy and die like a _man_, not a _slut_."

Using Sonic Boom again, Jack snapped his wrist angrily, pushing Coleman back with a massive gust of wind. Coleman slammed into the opposite wall, grunting in pain. Jack got to his feet, picked up his Tommy gun, and aimed his sights on the dazed man.

He pulled the trigger, but the muzzle of his gun was gripped by one of Holly's shadows. The grip was so tight that the metal was crushed like a tin can. Jack stared down at it in surprise, only to have the gun forcefully ripped from his hands, and slammed into the wall beside Coleman's head. The tiles it hit had shattered and broken off.

Holly used her shadows to push Jack aside, glaring down at Coleman as she wiped the blood that trickled from her mouth. A bruise was already starting form where Coleman had struck her. "He's _mine_…" She growled, her voice dangerously pleased-sounding.

One of the Sentries entered their hallway, aiming at Coleman, and Holly just angrily raised a hand. A shadow speared through the middle of the Sentry, stopping it immediately. When the shadow dissipated, the Sentry fell to the floor, tendrils of smoke crawling out of it. Jack, standing to the side, stuck in shock, noted that the Sentry had a blue box of ammo, and the lights on its propellers were a matching hue. He also noticed that the sound of Splicers had stopped practically stopped, short the odd curse and gun shot, which was quickly dealt with by a Sentry.

Not bothering to get up again, Coleman lay against the wall, looking up at Holly, laughing. He still seemed slightly dazed, but he knew what was happening around him. "That sneaky bitch…" He snarled slowly with a grin, as if realizing something. "That was her plan all along…" To Jack and Holly, he bellered "If you didn't have the _Big Blue Lady_ helpin' you, you woulda never made it out alive…" He looked directly at Jack. "But this _fuckin_' retread… He got her and her little blue bots to save your _sorry_ asses…"

"I didn't _ask_ for her help," Jack argued angrily, feeling slightly offended. He took a couple careful steps towards Holly. "She just took this as an opportunity to _kill_ you.

"Bull _shit_," Coleman yelled hoarsely. "She _knew_ you were going to do this. She knew you were too much of a lionhearted pansy to just let me go – She _manipulated_ you, boy! She put the idea in your head to kill me, she basically _ordered_ you to do it!" A bloody grin split his face, and he looked at Jack knowingly, his eyes filled with malice. "What she did to you was no better than what Frank Fontaine did… The only difference was that she didn't have to utter anything along the lines of 'Would you Kindly'."

Holly kicked him angrily in the gut with the flat of her foot. "Shut the hell_up_!" She hissed, raising her hands to strike at him with the shadows. "I can't _stand_ listening to you _speak_!"

This seemed to bring an idea to Coleman, because he turned to Holly, smiling mischievously. "Oh, but you _should_…" He started with a laugh. "You _both_ should – I have dirt on everything and everyone in Rapture. Including you _freaks_…"

Jack panicked, knowing where this was going to go – His dying words were going to be how Jack killed Sander Cohen. Without hesitating, Jack reached for his pistol. With a painful force, another tendril of shadows slammed into Jack's gunning shoulder, pushing him back.

"I said he's mine!" Holly barked at Jack, teeth bared. Ignoring everything Coleman had to say, she raised her hands, tendrils of shadows running up and down her arms. Like a conductor, she twirled her hands, and then slammed them down. To Jack's surprise, a massive block of shadows crashed down of Coleman's head. The man cried out loudly, cursing something fierce. And Holly, not even giving Jack time to react, started slashing her hands quickly in front of her, moving the shadows. They cut into Coleman's flesh, reaping blood. The countryman, in another cry of pain, tried reaching for his pistol, which laid only a few feet away from him.

With one swift movement, Holly brought down shadows on his arm; completely severing it from his torso. Coleman stared in shock at the stub of an arm that he had left, and then started screaming in pain. "My … my _fuckin'_ arm!" He cried out, bringing his hand to the stub. "_My fuckin' arm!_" He looked up at Holly with a furious glare. "You little _whore_!" He bellowed, his spittle red with blood. His eyes were wild, and his remaining hand was shaking. "Oh, god…" Coleman looked back down at his stub, reaching out for the severed arm. It's twitched a few times before remaining still.

Turning Jack's stomach, Holly then started viciously lashing out at Coleman with her shadows, ripping, pulling, slicing, slashing, severing…

Jack wasn't deterred by the idea of revenge, but there _was_ such thing as 'too much'. He couldn't take it any longer. "Holly," Jack called to her, trying to keep an authoritative edge in his voice – The kind he might have used when one of his little girls back home did something they shouldn't have. Louder, he repeated himself. She still didn't stop. He rushed over to her, gripping her arms and pulling her back. "Holly, stop! You don't need to _skin_ him!"

"Let me go!" She writhed in his grip, but Jack didn't release her. "Don't _fucking_ touch me!"

"He's dead, Holly – Just _stop_!"

She struggled to get out of his grasp, tiring herself. She slowed to a stop, breathing heavily. They stood in the corridor in silence, staring at the oozing mess that was Wayne Coleman. Holly shook her head. "_Fuck_ him…" She spat quietly, letting her shadows retract up her arm and disappear.

When Jack was aware that she had calmed down, he let her go, taking a step away from where she stood. Jack stared down at the mutilated body. "Holy Hell…" He breathed, glancing back at Holly. The girl crossed her arms across her chest, looking away. Her frock was stained with splatters of Coleman's blood, her legs and shoes more so than the dress.

They remained in silence for a few more minutes, and then Jack slowly bent over to pick up his Tommy gun. He reloaded it, looking down blankly at the wrecked Sentry bot on the floor, tendrils of smoke calmly rising from the machine. Had Sapphire sent these to help Jack? She must have expected him to end up killing Coleman, just as the countryman said... Not that it wasn't useful. He didn't have to deal with all the Splicers that Coleman had cooped up in Little Wonders, at least. But it was still odd to have an enemy who was willing to aid Jack.

When he turned to face Holly, she was gone. With a flash of worry in his stomach, he called out "Holly?" No answer. He rushed out of the Little Wonders building, calling for her as he exited. Still no answer. He frowned. "Where the hell are you…?"

He called for her in the lobby of Point Prometheus, and finally got an answer. "Over here," She called back dully. She was in the tunnel that led to the Bathysphere Station, from the sounds of her echoes. Jack headed over to the tunnel, finding Holly leaning against one side of the tunnel, staring out at the other. A squid pulsed by overhead, and a school of colorful fish silently inspected the algae growing on the glass. "Ready to leave?" She asked, barely glancing at Jack as he entered the tunnel with her.

"What the hell happened back there, Holly?" Jack stopped a couple feet away from her, gesturing with his thumb behind him.

"It doesn't matter - He had it coming." She answered, shifting on the spot to watch a small turtle pass by the tunnel. "Coleman did stupid things, terrible things - He got what he deserved."

"I can understand revenge, but that was something a little more, Holly." Jack raised an eyebrow. "What did he do?"

Shrugging, Holly just watched the turtle as it lazily swam by. When it passed by one of the nearby buildings, disappearing from sight, Holly finally responded: "Like I said – He got what he deserved." She faced Jack. "Can we go, now?"

Jack stared at her, slightly concerned, but nodded nonetheless.

They headed to the Bathysphere Station, neither of them speaking a word. Jack opened the hatch to the underwater craft, letting Holly in first, then stepping in after her. As he closed the door, he heard Holly choosing their destination on the panel, pulling the lever. They were headed back to the Atlantic Express Train Station, according to the lit button on the panel. Holly sat on the cushioned seat, crossing her legs under her, stretching her stained frock over her knees and across her lap. She had her elbows on her knees, and was resting her chin on her hands. She stared out the porthole of the Bathysphere, biting the inside of her cheek.

Crossing one leg over the other, Jack watched her curiously. She was very distracted, and didn't seem to notice. Eventually, Jack decided to speak. "So…" He started awkwardly. "… Do you… want to talk about it?" She silently shook her head, not looking over at him. Jack frowned, but nodded acceptingly. They remained in silence once more, which Jack broke soon after. "Do you mind if _I_ talk, then?" He asked gruffly, shifting in his seat, looking away.

She looked over at him for a brief moment, then looked away. "If you want…"

"Alright…" Jack started thoughtfully, watching the city move by the Bathysphere in a picturesque fashion. He wasn't very good at the whole 'comforting' thing, so he decided to go down a different route. "As you've probably heard, I was conceived here in Rapture. I'm the illegitimate son of Andrew Ryan and Jasmine Jolene; a petri dish project for Frank Fontaine's scientists." He paused, feeling Holly's eyes on him. "I came down here with memories of a whole different life – A family, a farm, a job… And it was like the plane crash was me waking up from a dream. One of those dreams where you know what happened, but couldn't recall anything specific from it – That was all that my memories were full of. Half-explained dreams."

Holly was now watching him with curious eyes. "That's what Suchong and Tenenbaum did to you?"

"Yeah. So, uh…" Jack nodded, cross his arms across his chest, leaning back in his seat. "… So when I left, I helped Tenenbaum get some of the rescued Little Sisters off her hands. And now I have a real family – Or something close to it. We live in a little farmhouse in New York, in a little town called Canandaigua. It, ah…" He smiled slightly, though it might not have looked like it. "… It has an orchard in the back – An apple orchard. The girls like going out in the fall to pick apples…"

"Sounds nice…" Holly commented quietly. "You started making your own memories to replace the fake ones, huh? I can't wait to get out of here and start a new life. I'll replace all these terrible memories with new ones… _happier_ ones…"

Saying nothing, Jack slowly nodded in agreement. He just didn't want to tell her that the odds weren't in her favor...


	13. Chapter Twelve

**12**

_**An Atlantic Express Train Station**_

"This Sapphire lady... She's promising big pay for this little test thing." Cherry Optkins sounded like she had a stuffy nose, and spoke slowly, like every word was a struggle to convey. "She told me that all _I_ have to do is Splice up on one of her new Plasmids, and then swim underwater for as long as I can." She paused. "Says I'll be 'an important part of the new age of Rapture', whatever the hell that means… But the pay's real good, and I'm already behind on my rent at the Sinclair Deluxe, so-" She was cut off, the sound of a door opening in the background, then Lady Sapphire's voice: "It's time for the first test..."

Jack and Holly glanced up at each other from the Accu-Vox, their brows furrowed in confusion. "What kind of Plasmids was she making?" Jack wondered aloud. He picked up the shotgun that lay next to the recorder and some exploding bucks on the bench. He reloaded it, and then looked up at Holly.

"Duds, I'm assuming. These Plasmids aren't even on the market – They must not have made it past the testing stage." Holly huffed.

"So remind me again why we're trying to get one of them…?"

"You want to stop Sapphire, don't you? We're going to need them…"

Jack gave her a sideways glance, wondering what they could possibly be doing that might involve a Plasmid that didn't make it to market. He had tried asking her on the way over to the train station, but she always either remained silent, or changed the subject. After what happened, not an hour earlier, he didn't feel it was in his best interests to press her into answering.

Feeling a little safer now that he was out of the suffocating confines of Bathysphere, Jack tried to make eye contact with Holly, though she seemed to be trying very hard to make that difficult for him. "Mind telling me why we need this Plasmid that you're shooting for?" He asked with a tone that was a gruff mixture of curiosity and authority.

Holly still seemed to be refusing eye contact. She was rummaging through the pockets of her deep blue, bloodstained, water-damaged frock. "You'll know when we get there…" She answered vaguely.

"Why don't you want to tell me?"

"Because there's no point in worrying about it the whole trip there – You need you head to be clear if you want to get there alive."

"What's there to worry about?" Jack donned a suspicious look. He hated not knowing what he was getting into…

Holly opened her mouth to respond, a defensive expression contorting her face as she looked up at Jack. Before she could get a single word out, she was interrupted by a sound that made both Jack and Holly jump.

Their Holly's response had been cut off by the bone-chilling sound of something loudly moaning. The ground slightly shook below them, and one of the nearby Securis doors opened. Jack and Holly watched with startled eyes as a Little Sister skipped in to the train station, humming happily to herself. Following close behind her was a strange, flat-faced Big Daddy, like some sort of ancient golem from an ancient time. It had a sort of launcher strapped onto its shoulder, and it barely paid any attention to the duo the Little Sister and Big Daddy passed.

"Come on, Mr. B – I can hear the flap, flap, flap of an angel…" She cooed, smiling to herself. The Little Sister stopped, looking up at Holly curiously, her little mouth agape. "Look!" She glanced over at the Big Daddy, pointing excitedly at Holly. "Look, look, look!" Holly glanced at Jack, obviously tense. The Little Sister looked at Jack and Holly, but let her vacant gaze stay on the young girl. "She wants a for-real Daddy, too…"

Holly flicked her panicky eyes over to Jack again, giving him a questioning look. The Big Daddy was inspecting her curiously – It was close enough for its stench to make their noses curl. Jack could practically feel the sheer strength and power wafting off of the protector from he stood, which didn't exactly make him feel comfortable. Barely moving his shoulders, Jack shrugged at Holly. He didn't know what to do. He could barely look at the Little Sister without being reminded of the girls he left at home.

"She looks like Big Sister!" The child exclaimed, standing on her toes, holding her hands up to try and be as tall as Holly – Her fingertips barely reached halfway up Holly's torso, despite the Little Sister's attempts. "She goes _this_ tall, and she's old! Just like Big Sister!"

"I'm-… I'm not a Big Sister…" Holly managed to utter.

The Little Sister dropped to the flats of her feet, letting her arms fall to her sides. "She's not an angel, Mr. B… and she's not Big Sister. Who is she, Mr. Bubbles?" In response, the Big Daddy groaned, and the little girl just giggled. "Don't be mean, Mr. B!"

"Jack," Holly hissed out of the corner of her mouth. "We're going to need some ADAM…"

The Big Daddy moaned again, urging the Little Sister to move on. The girl sniffed the air, looking up at her protector in excitement. "ADAM, Daddy, ADAM!"

"Holly, right now isn't exactly a good time to be bringing that up…" Jack responded quietly.

"Bye bye, Not-Big-Sister!" The Little Sister waved as she followed the Big Daddy out of the train station. Holly hesitantly waved back.

"Damn," Jack muttered. He was really hoping he wouldn't run into any Little Sisters – He thought he had saved them all. Apparently he missed one or two… But something else was bothering him. He turned to Holly. "What the hell is a Big Sister?" He frowned in confusion.

Holly collected herself before answering. "A Big Sister is a Little Sister who grew up," She answered simply. "Sophia Lamb loves to use them as her personal hit-men." She started after the Big Daddy and Little Sister, not waiting for a reply from Jack.

"Whoa, wait a second – Where are you going?" Jack caught up to her grabbing her wrist to stop her from doing anything brash. "You're not actually going to go fight that thing, are you?"

"No," She paused, looking at him with a coy smile. "_We're_ going to go fight that thing."

* * *

><p>Holly ran back into the Train Station, jumping out of the way of a grenade that was thrown at her by the Big Daddy that ungracefully tramped into the room after her. The Little Sister on its shoulder screeched "Get her, Mr. B! <em>Get her<em>!"

Jack, who was hiding behind one of the departure signs, stepped out from behind it when the Big Daddy passed. It shot another grenade at Holly, and Jack raised his hand, catching it with Telekinesis, and throwing it back. It hit the Big Daddy, knocking it back a few steps. It looked over at Jack, and then started to prepare itself to launch another grenade – But Holly appeared behind it in a mist of shadows, using her own Plasmid to focus the attention back on her.

"Unzip 'em!" The Little Sister jeered loudly, clinging on to the back of the Big Daddy as it swung around to face Holly again.

Holly disappeared from her spot, reappearing slightly farther away, lashing another shadow out at the Big Daddy, hurting it. It grunted, launching another explosive. Jack caught it, sending it back the way it came. He electrocuted the tin man, and used the shotgun to knock it back, doing significant damage in the process. At the same time, Holly was conducting her shadows the same way she did while killing Coleman – Slashing every which way as quickly she could. The shadows tore the fabric of the Big Daddy's diving suit, and left deep gouges in the thick, leather belts it had strapped across its chest.

Letting out a deep, frustrated cry, the Big Daddy hit Holly with a sweeping motion, knocking her back a few steps. While Holly managed her footing, the Big Daddy tossed another grenade at her, which Jack hastily caught while he was in the middle of reloading his shotgun. He waited a heartbeat to let Holly get out of the way before releasing the grenade upon its owner. When it hit the Big Daddy, it let out an angry groan, and the Little Sister grunted in displeasure as she was tossed about on the back of the protector.

Reloading its own weapon, the Big Daddy launched something different at the duo – A small, round turret that had red lights on its sides. It opened up and started shooting at Jack, who jumped back behind the departure sign. He waited until it had to reload before moving around the corner to shoot it.

"You need to catch those and throw them back, too!" Holly shouted with a grunt as she dodged another explosive, running quickly to a safe distance.

Jack muttered something under his breath as he reloaded the shotgun, shooting the back of the Big Daddy. It seemed more fixated on Holly, though, as it kept launching the strange mini-turrets and grenades at her, which Jack kept catching and tossing back in return as he fired the shotgun, reloading it as fast as he could.

Jack couldn't help but shoot a glare at Holly. She'd roped him into this fight – And 'roped him into it' meant 'put Jack into the crossfire so he'd have no choice but to fight'.

Eventually, the Big Daddy was struggling to just stay on its feet, the two red lights on its helmet flickering. It fell to its knees before falling over, letting a long, drawn out, and mournful groan. The Little Sister tumbled off its back, staggering to her feet, and running to its side. "Daddy?" She gripped its helmet, trying to shake it, but was far too weak to move the tin man. "Daddy!" She started to cry, tears streaming down her little, pale face. "Please get up, Daddy… Please…"

Holly walked to Jack's side, breathing heavily from running around. They both stared down at the Little Sister as she crouched beside the Big Daddy, covering her face with her hands, sobbing into her palms. "Why won't you get up, Daddy? Why?" She blubbered quietly.

Shaking her head sadly, Holly looked over at Jack. "What do you want to do with her?" She asked, keeping her voice down. "Are you going to rescue her, like you did the others?"

Jack wasn't sure if Tenenbaum was still around to take the girl in. He was entirely sure if wanted to know what might happen if the girl didn't have anyone to take care of her – Saving her might be just as brutal as killing her. Jack shook his head. "… You decide."

Holly blinked. "Me? Why won't you?"

"_You_ picked the fight." He answered sharply. "Now _you're_ obligated to do something about it." Jack grunted, looking away from the girl. The last thing he wanted to do was make that decision again… He started towards the Securis door, reloading the shotgun as he walked. "Meet me outside the station when you've finished. I don't think I want to be around when you make your choice..."

* * *

><p>Standing as far away from the train station door as possible, Jack stood by one of the long, stretching, leaky windows, staring out into the sea aimlessly. He waited patiently for Holly to carry out her choice – And it wasn't a choice Jack wanted to know about. After all, he wasn't here to be Holly's morale pillar. He was here to stop Sapphire, and nothing else. Besides… he wouldn't have been much help to her, anyways. Her emotional state is rollercoaster of ups and downs. Jack was beginning to fear the idea of being around her when she's at her ultimate low.<p>

Five or ten minutes had passed before the girl exited the train station. She made her way over to Jack, not making direct eye-contact. To Jack, that wasn't a good sign. "Are you alright?" Jack turned to her as she neared.

"I'm fine, I…" Holly stopped a couple feet away from him, letting out a long, chest-heaving sigh. "… I just—"

Jack held a hand up to stop her. "Don't tell me what you did – I don't want to know."

She gave him a frustrated glare. "But I—"

"Holly, if it has to do with that Little Sister, I don't want to know." He said firmly. "I've got the ocean on my shoulders – I don't need that little girl's fate on them, too."

Holly opened her mouth as if to argue, but slowly closed it with reluctance. "… Alright," She gave him a tight-lipped smile. "… fine" Without another word, she started past Jack, brushing past him roughly.

Jack stared after her, feeling slightly guilty for being so cruel. He knew wasn't here to make friends, but he wasn't here to try to cause trouble. Running his fingers through his hair, he walked after her. "Holly…" He called. She was heading towards a Securis.

"What?" She looked at him curtly over her shoulder.

"I didn't mean to come off so…" He trailed off, searching for an appropriate word.

"Coldhearted?" Holly finished for him.

"… Do you need to talk about it?"

"I thought you _didn't_ want to talk about it."

"I didn't want to talk about the Little Sister."

Holly stopped in her tracks, facing Jack with her hands on her hips. "You are going to have a _really_ rough time with those girls of yours if you can't handle my attitude – They're going to grow up someday, and then you'll have five of me running around."

"Don't bring them into this," Jack narrowed his eyes defensively. "They've got nothing to do with it." He gestured vaguely to Holly. "What's got you so wound up?"

"_Nothing_…" Holly muttered, suddenly passive-aggressive. She turned away from him, heading for the door again.

Jack stared after her incredulously. She's been rather offbeat since they managed to regroup. She was finding more and more things to be angry about – The first thing she found to rant about was a Plasmid poster that was in the Metro. "This has got to be some sort of joke," He sighed under his breath. "Unbelievable…" Jack walked after her. She had stopped by the door and was waiting for him.

"Come on…" Holly beckoned impatiently.

The Securis door opened when Jack reached both it and Holly. The girl led the way through, and the sour smell of sea water, old sweat, and rotting sea life hit them like a fist when they entered the room. It was a familiar smell – That of a Big Daddy.

The room was full of diving suits, lockers, and seaweed that had been dragged in by and shaken off of a foot. Several buckets of long-rotten aquatic animals, sitting in their own blood, forgotten by whoever brought it in to the city. To the far end of the room, there was a thick, metal door. A sign above it read 'Air Lock'. Jack nudged aside one of the suits that had fallen off its hanger. He crinkled his nose in disgust as an intrusion of cockroaches scuttled across the floor in a panicky fashion, disappearing behind one of the lockers. Jack looked over at Holly. "What are we doing here…?"

"Remember when I said that I hoped you weren't claustrophobic?" She picked up one of the diving helmets, looking over at him. "Well, to get to the Plasmid we need, we're going to have to travel out in the sea. Sapphire cut off all other entrances into her little laboratory – It's impossible to get to by Bathysphere, train, or even foot. So this is our only option."

"Are you insane?" He laughed nervously, trying not to think about what could kill them out in the sea – other than the sea itself. "We'll get killed out there, Holly – If not by sea-life, then by those Splicers that tried to kill us the _last_ time we were making progress. Let's not even start about the temperature and the depth…"

"We'll be fine." Holly brushed a cockroach off of one of the smaller diving suits. "Just don't move too quickly, and don't bother anything with teeth. If we don't stall on the way there, we'll have air to spare when we arrive." She looked over at him, nodding to the hanging suits. "Find something that fits, and suit up. We need to be in and out of those waters as fast as we possibly can."

"You must think I'm _insane_."

Holly barely glanced at him. "Well, you're trying to stop Sapphire. I'm pretty sure that's the same thing…"

When Holly turned her back to Jack so she could investigating the smaller suit, the sound of electricity struggling to keep moving was heard. The lights in the room snapped into darkness, leaving them blind. Jack heard both the Air Lock's door and the Securis door locking, and the TVs by the far end of the room hummed to life. Replacing the empty feed was a woman's face. Jack's first instinct was to assume it was Lady Sapphire but, looking closer, he was very wrong.

This woman seemed to be much taller, her neck longer, her facial features sharper. She stared down at Holly and Jack through horn-rimmed glasses. Her hair was coiffed atop her head in a business-like fashion. She had a very serious tone about her. When she spoke, her tone was soft, comforting, and calm. "This is a rather fascinating development," She started coolly. Already, Jack could feel she was in control of the situation, and that's not something he was comfortable with. The confidence in her voice greatly reminded Jack of Andrew Ryan. With thin-lipped smile void of all emotion, she said "It would appear as though Father Wales' messiah has returned."

Jack looked over at Holly. She was staring at the screen as if it were the Devil himself. "Who is that…?" He hissed loud enough for Holly to hear.

It seemed to take her some effort to rip her eyes away from the glowing screen. She stared at Jack with wide, frightened eyes. "Sofia Lamb…"


	14. Chapter Thirteen

**13**

_**An Atlantic Express Train Station, Airlock Prep Room**_

Jack stared at the screen that displayed the live motion picture of Sofia Lamb.

The woman had a certain air of confidence and condescension about her as she watched Jack and Holly like they were two goldfish in a tank. Simply seeing her was enough to tell Jack that she was no better than Andrew Ryan – She was an over glorified peacock. She must have thought herself a queen, at the very least, and Jack had a strong inkling that she was not a person who played well with others.

"May I ask why you're here?" She asked coolly. "Not simply in Rapture – Why are you in Persephone?"

Feeling Holly's expectant eyes on Jack, the man shuffled anxiously from one foot to the other. "We're just passing through," Jack explained, trying to keep a calm tone. "We only need to get through the airlock. We're not here to start any fights."

"Is that so?" Lamb lifted her chin curiously. "If you're not here to start fights, why have you parted a Sister from her Protector? I don't suppose that was an accident, was it?"

_Oops_. "We-" Jack had to restrain himself from glaring angrily at Holly - He _knew_ picking a fight with that Big Daddy was a bad idea. "We needed the ADAM. We won't be causing any more issues."

"Needed?"

Jack opened his mouth to respond, but, after a sideways glance at Holly, he stopped himself. The girl had shaken her head, then looked up to the TVs. "The girl wasn't harvested – She's safe, I can assure you, and she's probably headed right for you."

"You didn't…?" Jack trailed off in surprise. Then why was Holly acting so surly?

"No," Holly snapped angrily. "That's what I was trying to tell you – I couldn't make that choice, not after what you'd said."

"Safe? You may not have harvested her," Lamb interjected. "But you severed her bond. She will need to be reassigned a new Protector. That's unnecessary work, and unnecessary emotional turmoil for her to go through."

"Look, we let her go. We won't bother them anymore, we're not about that. We're not looking for trouble – We only want to go through the airlock, so if you could just—"

"I apologize, but I'm afraid I simply can't. You see, there is a man who would like to speak to you – Father Wales has a keen interest in meeting you. He's asked me to send you into his hands. He is a faithful man, and he's done so much to help me. The least I can do is help him."

"Sorry, we're on a schedule, Doctor." Holly growled. "And we're already late. We need to get our gears in motion."

"Father Wales didn't ask to speak to _you_," Lamb raised a haughty eyebrow. "Though I suppose I can let you see him, too. He is a man of faith – A man of forgiveness. If we lost that, the Family would be nothing."

"The Family…?" Jack muttered skeptically under his breath. "What kind of upside down religion is that?"

"Oh, good." Holly drawled sarcastically. "I was really hoping to see the priest – I didn't think things were frustrating enough."

While casting Holly a warning glare, Jack asked "What does he want to speak to me about?"

"He simply wanted to speak to you," Lamb explained, her soothing voice becoming more and more irritating to Jack. The lack of emotion was frustrating. "He wanted to speak to his messiah."

"Messiah?"

"Yes," Lamb looked at Jack over the tops of her glasses. "You."

Jack laughed incredulously. "You've got the wrong person, lady." He held a hand to his chest, giving the woman on the screen an earnest look. "I'm no messiah."

"Then you are now," She pursed her lips in a failed attempt at a smile - something she seemed incapable of doing. "Regardless, you need to go to the station you came from, and enter the train. It will bring you and the girl to Father Wales. As soon as you've spoken to him, you may move on." Before the screen flickered off, she added "I do hope to see you keep that promise of leaving Sisters and their Protectors alone. It would be a shame if you didn't…"

The lights danced back to life, and then it was just Holly and Jack standing silently in the Preparation Room. The feeling of dread hung in the air. Holly looked over at Jack. "Another chore. I wonder who we'll have to sweep under the rug this time?"

Unamused, Jack headed for the way they came. "It doesn't matter – We'll deal with it when the issue comes up. Let's just go get this over with, before the man starts to get anxious." This was getting _real _tiresome...

"Jack, wait..." Holly jogged after Jack, gripping his elbow, turning him to face her. "Do you even know who Father Wales is?"

"A priest, I suspect."

"This is serious, Jack – He's not like the people you've encountered down here. He's a man of religion. A _crazed_ man of religion. And, down in Rapture, do you really expect him to just want to have a chat with you? He'll kill you! And then who knows what he might do?"

"I'll be fine – I'm the one he wanted to talk to in the first place. I'm his 'messiah', remember?" He gently pulled his elbow away. "You're the one that needs to be worried. You'll be there uninvited. Besides, where else can we go from here? Lamb's got the airlocks disabled." Jack continued on his path towards the station. "We've only got to deal with whatever this guy wants, and then we can tail it outta there."

* * *

><p>The train cars were still surprisingly lush, compared to the rest of Rapture. The deep-red leather seats were still taut, comfortable, and spared from the results of constant nearby fighting. There was some algae and crustaceous life growing on the large windows, but, other than that, the cars were in shockingly good condition.<p>

As soon as they had sat down in the riding car of the train, they were moving. It seemed as though Sofia Lamb – or someone else – had their course already worked out. As uncomfortable as it was for Jack being blind as to where they were going, he knew he couldn't do much about it – They'd just have to wait and see what happens next. This Father Wales guy seemed about as stable as a fishing boat in an ocean storm, but Jack was apparently important to him. Logically, Father Wales wouldn't let his would-be messiah be injured, but… Not everything worked on the premise of logic, in Rapture.

The whole scenario was a real cog-turner.

The train set off towards its unknown destination, and Jack watched the ocean pass by around them, a melodic tango of colors and sea life. They were moving rather quickly – Faster than they would be by Bathysphere.

For a few moments, neither of them said anything. Holly shifted in her seat, quietly smoothing out her frock. Jack glanced over at her. She seemed unusually quiet. Passively, Jack dismissed it – But, as he looked back out the window, he couldn't quite stop concerning himself with her attitude. Eventually, Jack sighed. "Alright... What's eating you?"

Holly blinked, looking up at Jack. "What?"

"Normally, you'd take this time to try and pry some sort of knowledge out of me."

"Oh… I…" She brushed her short hair behind her ear. "Well… Look - Mr. Ryan…" She started, sounding a little exasperated. "… I'm just tired. I'm tired of all the things we've had to do just to get where we are – On route to some priest who doesn't know up from down. I mean… how do we even know they open the airlocks for us? We could have gone through _everything_ that we did… for nothing. Isn't that a little discouraging? Not even a little bit?"

"We'll find a way, Holly. Rapture is interconnected. If Lamb and Wales don't open the airlocks, it won't be easy to get it done, but it's possible." He tried to maintain eye contact with her, but she looked away. "If there's one useful thing I've learned down here, it's that you never give up on anything – whether you _want_ it or _need _it. Because giving up is what's going to get you killed. Without motivation, it's easy to become careless."

"But, with everything that's happened…" She shook her head. "…We just keep getting driven off course by one crazy person or another. I can't see us _winning_. How are you able to keep doing _any_ this?" Her green eyes held genuine curiosity, her lips pursed in frustration and anger.

"The way I see it, it's better to get it over and done with before they come out of hiding and attack." Jack shrugged, crossing his arms. "Besides that, there's really nothing we can do about it. If they have the ability to cut off our only passage, then _we've_ gotta do what _they don't_ want to." He paused, knitting his brows together at Holly. "And did you call me Mr. Ryan, again? I thought we were past that."

"Did I…?" She mumbled, looking away, as if embarrassed. "I'm sorry, it must have just slipped. My mind's not in one place..."

Jack would have asked 'why?', but he knew why. He lifted his chin curiously."What did Coleman do to you?"

Holly stared at him blankly, her mouth still open. Her expression quickly changed to that of anger. "Nothing – Why does it matter? He's gone."

"I'm... concerned." Jack answered carefully. He was fully aware of the thin ice that he was treading. "Whatever he did, it's obviously bothering you. If you want to talk about it, we-"

"Let's not discuss it," Holly suggested sharply, shifting in her seat to look out a window furthest from where Jack sat.

"Alright, alright... fine." Jack held his hands up defensively. "We don't have to talk about it. You're just acting a little… odd, is all. I wanted to know if you were OK." The last thing he needed was the two of them being butchered because Holly couldn't focus.

"I _appreciate_ the sentiment," Holly said quietly, not looking at Jack as she spoke – She still stared out the window. "But you don't have to pretend like you care. I know that we're both just helping each other to get to our own objectives. And I'd… I'd just _really _appreciate it if you wouldn't patronize me like that."

Patronize? Jack was taken aback. That wasn't his intention at all… He was honestly curious if she was going to be OK. He had a fairly good idea of what Coleman might have done to her, but he didn't really know, up until now. He didn't want her to talk about it to _talk_ about it, but he wanted to at least let her get it off her chest. Evidentially, though, she took no interest in the idea. In fact, she was now ignoring him, sitting with her arms crossed on the seat adjacent to Jack, her body slightly turned away as she glared out a window.

Whatever anger she had pent up inside was slowly finding its way out – Her normally-happy demeanor was dampened by this rage, this disgust, which she refused to express properly. Whether it was her idea of preserving her own pride, or that she was just uncomfortable about the entire situation, she was going to have to do _something_ to let out these dangerous emotions – Otherwise, they may just explode in a frightening catharsis. Jack didn't want to be there when it happened -He made a silent goal to get her to talk about it before that

Outside the windows, Jack noticed, the scenery had changed – This time, Jack actually recognized where they were. He sat up suddenly, startling Holly, whose head snapped up attentively. "Why are we back here…?" Jack muttered, turning around in his seat. He furrowed his brow, standing on his knees, and staring out the window like a child on a bus.

Holly, too, looked out the window, tilting her head. "Fort Frolic? What's somebody in Persephone got to do with Fort Frolic?"

Both their radios turned on with a jarring hum of static. "Persephone and Fort Frolic both have connections, and are surprisingly close to each other. But Wales isn't taking you to Fort Frolic…" Lady Sapphire's cool voice answered. "You're being taken to a museum."

Jack didn't want to question the fact that she so readily butted into their conversation. Instead, he seized the opportunity to ask something else that had been on his mind since breaking Holly out of Coleman's makeshift prison. "You've tried to have me killed –Multiple times. Why are you helping us?"

"'Helping'?" She echoed innocently.

"You sent security sentries to help me break out Holly," he growled "And now you're helping us again."

"You did me a favor." She said simply. "You killed Wayne Coleman. Therefore, by rule of give and take, I should return it. I can assure you; this is the last you'll see of my good side."

"That was your good side?"

"As good as it gets – I could have let you die at Wayne's hands. But I needed _him_ to die more than _you_. Technically, I helped you in the interest of myself."

Holly glanced over at Jack, raising an eyebrow. "So I guess we're even now, huh?" Holly asked tentatively into her own radio.

"For now," Sapphire paused thoughtfully on the other end, the continued: "Although, I do feel I owe you a warning. Father Wales is a religious fanatic. He'll do anything to please his 'messiah'… that would be _you_, Mr. Ryan. And he will also do anything to prove your existence." Jack gave Holly an incredulous look as Sapphire said: "Take that as you will."

As the sound of the transmission ending was heard, barely audible over the sound of the train slowing, Jack let out a long, confused sigh. "... She just loves to stir the pot, doesn't she...?" He hissed.

Even as the train slowed to a stop in the station, Jack and Holly sat blankly in their seats, still holding their radios. Finally, after an anxious stretch of silence, Jack got to his feet, clipping the radio back onto his belt. "Alright," He exhaled deeply, glancing outside the window again. "… Let's go see what Father Wales wants from us."

* * *

><p><strong>AN:**

Hello... I know this was a chapter that didn't offer a whole lot, but *shrugs* These things happen.

I just want to say that next weeks chapter may or may not be up... It's the last chapter I have in stock, and I'm not sure how satisfied I am with it (I'm not at all satisfied with this one, but I needed to put this up for this message up for you guys).

During the Holiday Break, I'll be trying to stock up on chapters a little more - But I _do_ have to write an entire 'story' for my Writer's Craft class, and then finish 2 or 3 summatives.

Anyways, I just wanted to let you guys know what's up.

I'm out. *Salutes*


	15. Chapter Fourteen

**14**

_**Fort Frolic, Atlantic Express Train Station**_

The train's doors opened for Jack and Holly, leading them into yet another train station.

They stepped out of the train, looking around the station cautiously. It was a very dome-like room, with all the walls almost completely made up of glass. Outside of the station, the sea life drawled by the windows at a casual pace, paying no attention to the man-made objects in their domain.

A layer of thick dust lined most of the surfaces. There were some footsteps that led to the Securis door on the other side of the room, and then some more prints that led back into the station. This was clearly a station that was not often entered. There weren't even signs of any sort of foul play – No blood, and no bullet casings. Not one drop, not one shell. This was a strange experience to have in Rapture – To see a room untouched by insanity

"Where are we?" Jack muttered thoughtfully, not entirely speaking to Holly. He found it hard to believe that he was never aware that there was a train station in Fort Frolic…

In response, the radio on Jack's hip crackled to life. "Medusa's Resort…" An older voice loudly drawled with a thick Dublin accent. Jack didn't recognize the voice. "_The_ house of ill repute - The house that breeds sin…"

Holly looked over at Jack inquisitively, silently asking who it was on the radio. Jack could do nothing but shrug his shoulders. Hell if _he_ knew. Into his radio, Jack asked: "Who are we speaking to? Is this Father Wales?"

"Aye, my Lord…" The man confirmed quickly, as if he wanted to move on as fast as possible. "Yer wretch of a servant, Lord – The Acolyte of the Family."

"Are you here at the station with us?" Jack glanced about the room, looking for any sort of camera. "Or are you watching from a distance?" A _safe_ distance.

"My Lord, I am unclean!" Father Wales stated abruptly. Jack's suggestion was apparently something out of the question. "I am impure! A wretched Acolyte! To even be in the same room as ye would make ye impure… I will _not_ encumber ye, my Lord. I won't!"

The duo in the train station exchanged skeptical looks. "Father," Jack cleared his throat tentatively. It felt like thin ice that he was walking on. "You called this a 'house of ill repute'. Someone else had called it a museum. I'm not sure I understand."

"We have been waiting for yer return, my Lord, and you finally have spoken. Ye smote down the Sinful Brother, Wayne Coleman, and now ye have prepared another for their absolution – The False Mother." Father Wales raved. Jack was never in his life surer that someone was insane - _completely_ out of their _skull_ - than he was at that moment in time. "But, my Lord, ye know not the beast that ye fight. For ye, I have created a museum. Ye will be enlightened, so ye may faster deliver punishment."

Holly had wandered away from Jack, moving to one of the windows to look at the building that was at the end of the tunnel behind the Securis door. When she heard Father Wales' statement, she turned to look at Jack, her brow furrowed.

"Sofia Lamb let me bring someone along," Jack glanced at Holly, hoping that Father Wales wasn't going to cause any more problems for them. "It won't be an issue if she goes into this… 'museum'… will it?" Jack didn't know _why_ this Dubliner chose him as their messiah, but he wasn't going to argue with it – It gave him a sort of authority. He was able to question people who could kill him… Perhaps he could even use this new-found title to subtly sway things in his own favor.

"I cannot rid her of her concupiscence, my Lord, but ye can exculpate her sins – With ye, she is free to be enlightened."

"I'll take that as an invitation…" Holly sniffed indignantly, turning back to the window.

"Alright, then, Father…" Jack wasn't quite sure what Father Wales was talking about. "… You'll see us off, now. We're ready to see this museum of yours."

"Of course, my Lord – Go through the door, follow the tunnel. Tis the door at the very end." Jack started towards the door, letting Holly catch up before entering the tunnel together. While they walked, Father Wales continued. "The Family collected items in anticipation of yer return – We waited patiently. This house of sin has been converted into a house of learning… for _ye. _Know thy enemy. This building now contains the knowledge ye will need to fully bring the False Mother her full absolution. In the blood of the Lamb… she will be baptized." Father Wales seemed to revel in his own words. After an appreciative pause, he continued: "Now, my Lord, I'm afraid I must take my leave. Even mine own talking to you is dangerous. I wish ye good luck, and hope to aid ye again _very_ soon."

Their radios went silent, leaving Jack and Holly in silence as they entered the tunnel cautiously. "Now, what do you suppose _that_ was all about…?" Jack mused quietly as they brusquely made their way towards this 'museum'.

"I haven't a clue in the slightest," Holly responded absent-mindedly, slowing to a stop. She pressed her hands and cheek against the tunnel's glass, looking outside, towards the large building that awaited them. "Medusa's Resort…" She frowned. "I didn't even know this place existed, up until now."

Jack gazed up at the neon-sign above the tunnel, glowing brightly in the dark waters. It was a green and purple sign, the words written in cursive, though the 'M' was large, and stood out with a flowing calligraphic majesty. "Neither did I…" Jack murmured, continuing down the hall.

He had to admit – Despite the fact that they were sidetracked yet again, it was rather nice to have someone who, instead of constantly trying to kill him, was in the interest of helping Jack. The man might be crazy enough to think Jack a god… but there were no complaints to be heard. Jack was OK with being able to move forward without it resulting in a fight.

"Doesn't exactly sound like a museum," Holly commented in a contemplative tone. "'Medusa's Resort'…"

"Father Wales said it was converted into a 'museum'," Jack wasn't all too confident that it was really a museum, though. Words used in Rapture were often misconstrued. "And he called it the 'house of ill repute'. Maybe…" He trailed off, looking at Holly with a sideways glance. He cleared his throat uncomfortably.

"Maybe what?" Holly narrowed her eyes thoughtfully. "'House of ill repute', what does that mean? Do you know what it is?"

"No - no…" He scrunched his nose up. "Nothing. I was thinking out loud, forget I said anything."

"It's clearly not 'nothing'. What is it?"

"I think it's a… 'massage parlor'. Ever heard of something like that?"

"Once or twice," Holly shrugged. "Father would bring it up a couple times. Didn't seem all too happy about it, either. Why? What is it?"

"It's a place where Joes can go to… find female company."

"... That's all? Well that doesn't seem like such a big deal. That wasn't so hard, now, was it? No need to get your trousers in a knot." She continued forward, rolling her eyes condescendingly.

Jack followed with a frown. Something about that response led him to believe that Holly didn't quite understand what he meant… He, however, had absolutely no desire to elaborate on the subject – What the girl didn't know about this place wouldn't hurt her.

The elegantly engraved metal-and-gold door opened unceremoniously before the duo, and the smell burnt paper, wood, and cloth bluntly hit them, leaving a pins-and-needles tingling sensation in their noses. The old smell of burnt debris mingled with the smell of rotting wood and sea water.

"I don't like this…" Jack grunted as they carefully entered the building, looking around their surroundings. They passed by two scorched Pneumo Tubes. The light that should have been emitted from the letters was stifled by slushy soot. "I don't like this at all…"

The building itself was rather eerie on the inside. On the black-and-white tiled floor, puddles and ash mixed. A lot of the walls, which seemed to have had deep purple damask wallpaper while in their prime, were torched, yet wet to the touch, on some. There appeared to be a leak, and it was spreading across the walls, being absorbed by the exposed wood that would have been diluted by water when the fires were put out. The once-posh furniture lay where it was seemingly left, scorched and stained with smoke. Had the place not been lit, it might have looked surprisingly nice. Posh, yet comfortable.

The room they were standing in appeared to be the foyer of the building. At the very end of the room, directly across from the door, was a large semi-circle desk, which had two staircases on either side. Wedged between the stairs was a wall that curved to the shape of the desk. The wall held both the building's name in a similar, but plain metal, sign as the one on the face of the building, and a door, both residing behind the desk.

Seeming oddly out of place, the desk – and some of the furniture that was further into the room – had several white sheets draped over it. Lit candles were placed erratically on the sheets, proving a decent enough light source. White books randomly were scattered among the candles.

Someone had written on the curved wall, on either side of the door, in white paint. Many brash arrows where pointing to the door behind the desk, surrounded by the words 'Sinful Brother' and 'Wayne Coleman'. Likewise, 'False Mother' and 'Ingrid Sapphire' were painted with a jittery hand on the scorched walls above the stairs, which were adorned with white sheets and candles much like the desk.

The place was practically gift-wrapped.

When Jack and Holly cautiously walked up to the desk, kicking up dust, splashing through puddles, Jack took up one of the white books. It was simple enough: A white, leather-bound book with a butterfly, and the title _Unity and Metamorphosis: By Sofia Lamb_, which were both stamped into the front. Jack thought that it was perhaps a novel, maybe even a textbook, but he knew that it couldn't possibly be – Not when it seemed to hold such reverence. It was more like a bible.

Jack had seen the book before, somewhere. He couldn't remember where from for the life of him... And, as he turned the book over in his hands, opening it to peak into its pages, Holly spoke quietly. She, too, appeared to be in deep thought. "Bible of the Lamb…" She hummed contemplatively, picking up one of the 'bibles'. "The people in that _cult_ vary from 'reserve a padded cell for me' to 'let's sacrifice each other for the sake of an imaginary friend in the sky'…" She barely glanced at Jack as she flipped through some of the pages in the book. "… Not entirely the sanest of people… But, then, who _is_?" She laughed gently, tossing the book back onto the table, moving on to look at something else.

Jack stopped flipping through the pages. "Vary…" He murmured painfully as he struggled for the root of the memory, closing the book to look at the cover. "Variables…" The memory clicked.

He _had_ seen one of these books before. The lady who spoke in riddles, Rosalind, was reading it on the plane. _Why_? Who were those people? And what is it exactly that they're up to?

"Seems like Father Wales planned on us being here before Coleman got to us," Holly's voice had a slight echo in the tall foyer. She looked at Jack. "He was just one more sinner for you to bring to absolution... just like Lady Sapphire."

"Absolution doesn't exist, not in Rapture…" Jack set the bible down on the desk, walking around to the door. "And definitely not the way Father Wales imagines it."

"What do you mean?"

"It's a living Hell, down here, and death would release you of it…" He stopped in the doorway, which quietly shifted open for him. "… But it wouldn't pardon your sins. You would still die a condemned man."

Holly blinked, thinking about the statement Jack just made, and nodded. She walked away, towards one of the flights of stairs. "… I'm going to go have a look around upstairs," She announced quietly, not pausing for an answer. As she walked up the first few steps, she tapped the radio on her hip. "Shout if you need me…"

"Watch yourself…" Jack watched her disappear, becoming hidden by the curved wall that blocked the rest of his view to the stairs. He frowned. They would have to have a word with when they met up, again. In the meantime, he wanted to see what Father Wales had put together for Jack to use against Coleman.

The hallway beyond the door was rather long, and it was untouched by the flames. There was still a fair amount of water damage, but that wasn't exactly uncommon in Rapture. Walking down the hallway, Jack passed two doors: The first read 'Staff Only', and the second read 'Tea Party Room'. Both were boarded up well, the actual door busted in so that it can't open. The door at the very end of the hallway read 'Office of Mr. Wayne Coleman' in print on the frosted glass window, much like the other doors. Candlelight from the inside of the room shone dimly through the foggy-looking glass.

Quietly, the door opened for Jack, sliding up its runners into the top of the doorframe.

The candlelit room held nothing of a huge notable interest. There was a desk at the back of the room which, much like the one in the foyer, had a white sheet draped over it. Candles were placed all about the room, though, so Jack could see well enough. What was of _some_ notable interest were the several Accu-Voxes that were exhibited on top of the desk. On the wall behind the desk was another painted message. 'The Family invited him with open arms, but the Sinful Brother blindly refused'.

Jack scoffed loudly.

Admittedly, Jack was rather glad that Coleman wasn't some religion fanatic. Things might have gotten a lot worse if he _was_… But Jack couldn't stop himself from wondering if Coleman would have even been there to stop _had_ he joined 'The Rapture Family'. Perhaps in some weird, upside down world, maybe. But here? Coleman was the _average_ kind of crazy thug.

Frowning, Jack turned around, looking at the room, and then turning back to the desk. It wasn't a huge room – not as big as _Andrew Ryan's_ office – but it was pretty spacious. Some filing cabinets, some bookshelves… not a lot of furniture. That wasn't what Jack had a problem with.

There didn't seem to be anything in that room that Jack could have possibly used against Coleman. No weapons, no Plasmids, no Tonics… there wasn't even any Hypos that could have come in handy. There were just a couple of Audio Diaries, a few newspapers, and a _lot_ of candles on top of stained, white sheets.

Jack curiously walked over to the desk, turning on one of the Accu-Voxes at random.

Struggling to play its message with a waterlogged whirring noise, the chosen Accu-Vox was just barely able to repeat its tune for Jack:

"Welcome to Medusa's Resort," Wayne Coleman's voice purred with an obvious smile. He sounded younger by several years. "We only have a couple of rules here, ladies. Rule number one: Don't _judge_ the clients. They come here to feel loved – If they want you to talk to 'em like they're a baby for a week, you can't complain… especially if you're pullin' a couple dozen _grand_ outta their pocket 'cause of it." He laughed lightly. "Rule number two: Bargain hard, and bargain well. The higher your pay, the better. Some of these men will pay a quarter of a million dollars for a weekend out. Always try to up it. Oh, and, for _God's_ sake, don't forget to check their Johnson – That's rule number three: _Check their fuckin' Johnsons_. You're lookin' for anythin' that ain't healthy. Some men ain't above tellin' you if they got the bumps…" He paused, then said "Rule number four: Every shift is eight hours. Now, you have the right to decline any client you want, but you hafta complete your eight hours. I can let it slip here and there, but it's _your _own money that you're losin'." His voice suddenly got slightly darker. "And rule number five: If you're havin' issues, or a client starts to get a little too 'hands on' with you, go ahead and send him my way, darlin'. I'll set him straight, for ya…"

"Right," Jack huffed, trying not to think about what kind of things happened in this building because of Coleman. "Once a thug, always a thug…" Jack turned on another one of the Audio Diaries, unable to see how Father Wales thought this would help stop Coleman.

"There have been _complaints_ about Medusa's Resort," Andrew Ryan's strong, authoritative voice rang out of the Accu-Vox. It sounded as if he were in a large room – Somewhere he could have his voice reverberate for a public announcement. "And while some of these complaints may _appear_ to be justified, these complaints are still _idle_." The great man's voice grew almost angered. "Must I _remind _each and every one of you that we are _no longer_ on the surface? The surface, where these petty complaints of so-called 'ill moral and repute' are _accepted_? Rapture was built on the very foundation of being freed from the constraints that the governments on the surface held us down with for so long." Ryan paused, and the sounds of an angry crowd were heard. When they settled down, he continued. "The founder of Medusa's Resort has every right to hold his business. If he were a danger to the citizens and the city of Rapture, that would be another matter. But he is not – In fact, his entrepreneurship has _strengthened_ the Great Chain. He has manufactured paying jobs in a safe environment." Over the rowdy crowd, he yelled: "No measures will be taken to demolish Medusa's Resort – Not because a few puritans have thrown a _tantrum_. Nothing more will be heard of such complaints." Again, the crowd snarled with discontent.

Of course Andrew Ryan would vouch for a brothel. Jack would have been surprised if the man _didn't._

Underneath some of the Audio Diaries were several intact newspapers. One read something about people who strongly disagreed with Medusa's resort, one read about the speech that Jack just listened to, another read about the torching of the Resort, ending in it being forced to shut-down, and one read about…

"… Patsy Oswald…" Pensively, Jack snatched up the newspaper, staring into the picture of the girl who smiled broadly. He recognized her, but he didn't know where he could have possibly seen her – She died years before Jack was sent back down to Rapture. The column of text under her picture explained that she had been murdered by asphyxiation. She was found dead in her room at Medusa's Resort. So where had he seen this woman from?

"Jack," Holly abruptly called into the radio. She didn't sound panicked, but she did sound frustrated.

Setting the paper back down on the desk, Jack absentmindedly answered. "Yeah…?" He picked up a leather ledger.

"None of this old junk is going to help us," She hissed, and then something toppled over in the background. She probably kicked something. "He's just wasting our time."

"Father Wales put this together in the interest of bringing Sapphire and Coleman to 'absolution', right? Maybe he meant it literally…" Jack flipped through the pages until he found something that caught his eye. "… These are their sins…" He muttered distractedly. "… And they must be paid for…"

"Well, throwing words of God at Sapphire isn't going to help us any… Not unless we throw the bible at her. And even that would only get us so far…"

"What now?"

"You're the messiah – You tell _me_. I don't—" Holly cut to silence for a few heartbeats. Then she cleared her throat. "I don't know. You finish up with whatever you're doing – I just thought of something…"

Jack barely noticed that Holly had stopped talking. He was too busy trying to wrap his head around the thought of something else.

There were some folded pieces of paper tucked into the cover of the ledger. On one of the papers that Jack had looked at, a chart for weekly checks, there were two familiar names printed on it. The first, OSWALD, PATSY, wasn't a shock. But the second name was the one that had him frowning.

SAPPHIRE, INGRID.

Didn't Holly say something about Sapphire being in one of those rich families that came down to Rapture? So then why would she need to work in a _brothel_?

"OK," When Holly's voice returned, she sounded overly excited. "Come upstairs." There was a crashing sound, the sound of something shattering. "I _need_ to show you something."

Jack blinked. "What was that?" He demanded, tossing the clipboard back onto the desk. "Are you OK?"

"I'm fine; it was a mirror. Are you coming up here, or not?"

"I am, I am…" He was already leaving Coleman's old office. "What are you so excited about?"

"I've found something that I want to show you," She answered slowly, her tone blatant.

There was a quiet gap, filled only by the sound of the doors closing and Jack's footsteps as he walked out from behind the crescent desk. As Jack reached the stairs, he broke the silence. "_What_, exactly?"

Holly hesitated, thinking about something silently. And then she answered in a very simple tone.

"My mother."


	16. Chapter Fifteen

**15**

_**Medusa's Resort, Rapture**_

"I thought you didn't know who your mother was?" Jack called rather disinterestedly, walking down the hallway that Holly was standing in. She seemed incredibly impatient, and uncharacteristically excited.

"I _didn't_," Holly's answer came curt and indignant. "But I do _now_." She hesitated, glancing down at the roll of newspapers she held in her hands. "At least… I _think_ I do…"

The girl's past was none of Jack's business. He didn't much care about her parents, and he didn't have any desire to learn about them. He knew more than he wanted to about Sander Cohen – One parent seemed to be more than enough. Neither of them were alive, anyways. But Jack figured he'd show her theories some sort of interest. It might be the wisest thing he could do right now – Holly _did_ just maul a man to death…

"What makes you say that?" Jack asked unenthusiastically, stopping by Holly. Before he could even respond, he was being handed the rolled up newspaper, and being directed to look at the part of a photo that was visible on one of the pages.

"I found _this_." Holly pointed to the woman in the picture, her black-and-white photo slightly bled-out from water damage. It was that Patsy Oswald, again… The woman who was faintly familiar, yet was a complete and total stranger to Jack. "We look incredibly similar, yeah?" Holly prompted expectantly, watching Jack as he stared down at the photo with squinted eyes.

"I guess…" Jack looked to Holly, to the papers, and back. "But you can't just stake it all on the idea that you both have the same cheekbones, or something."

"I'm _not_." Holly huffed like it was obvious. She walked to the sheet-and-candle covered dresser, gesturing to a mangled piece of paper. "This obituary was left here, too. Patsy Oswald died a year after I was born… That's when my mother left me and father."

"Why wouldn't Sander just _tell_ you that, then?" Jack followed her to the dresser, setting the newspaper down, briefly glancing at the obituary before he looked directly at Holly. "Instead of lying to you?"

"Well, she worked _here_…" Holly didn't seem to notice – She was too busy looking at the bled-out photo. "Maybe he didn't want me to know about that, so he lied. Maybe abandonment was better than working here."

Jack nodded slowly – It was more of an understanding nod than a nod of agreement. "Sander _was_ more worried about his pride than the truth…" That seemed to be a common trend. "But that doesn't necessarily _prove _anything. If I were you, I wouldn't go around with the belief that that woman is your mother."

"Why _not_? Where's the _harm_?"

"Because your hopes will be built up – And believe me when I say that it's far less painful if there _aren't _any hopes to be destroyed."

Holly tossed the photo back onto the dresser, where she had picked it up from. "_Your_ experiences don't define _mine_. Your parents weren't there for you – But mine were, at least, at _some_ point in time." She glared up at him, her green eyes filled with an angry desperation. She pointed to the photo on the dresser. "Father Wales put this stuff here for a reason. He wanted me to see it. That woman _is_ my mother. Until you can prove otherwise, I'm not going to lose the hope that she didn't just abandon me and father. She was _killed_."

Feeling frustration filling up in his chest, Jack waved his hand to signify that he was done talking. "Holly, believe what you want. I'm not here to tell you what to do."

"You're right – You're _not_."

Why did he even bother? Holly clearly wasn't going to listen. She had her heart set on finding someone to call 'mother'. Any sort of advice Jack had to give to her was going to be shot out of the air almost immediately. He just wanted to change the subject, now.

Awkwardly, Jack stuck his hands in his pockets, continuing down the hall, which he noticed too late had been blocked off somewhere near the middle. Even with his back turned to her, Jack could feel Holly watching him walk down the hallway. Knowing she was expecting him to say something, Jack stopped walking. "Did you find anything we might be able to use?" He asked, turning to face her as he spoke.

Holly was still watching him. "No." She answered simply. She didn't even bat an eyelash.

"So then this was a giant waste of our time…" Jack sighed irritably, running his fingers through his hair in frustration.

"Did you actually expect it to be _anything_?"

"I was hoping _something,_ at least, would come out of this." He muttered, hurriedly walking down the hall. "We need to go get those Plasmids of yours – We've wasted enough time, here, as it is…" As he headed for the stairs, he heard the Securis door at the entrance of the building open and close. Jack skidded to a stop, holding his hand out to stop Holly.

She ran into his hand, shoving it angrily out of the way, looking up at Jack with her mouth open to question him. Jack brought his finger up to his lips, and then pointed down. "Someone just joined us…" He whispered cautiously, proceeding towards the railing that overlooked the foyer, peering over it.

A terribly disfigured man had limped into the building, holding his broken top hat as he looked around his surroundings. With a scoff, Jack pulled out his pistol, aiming it at the Spider Splicer.

"My Lord!" The Splicer stopped in the middle of the foyer, loudly calling out with a very thick Dublin accent. He hadn't seen Jack - He was looking around the room. There was a slight nervousness about his movements. He called out again, moving a little further into the room.

"Is that Father Wales…?" Holly had peeked over the banister, looking out at the foyer, alongside Jack. "What's he doing here? I thought he didn't want to 'taint you with his sins'… or something like that." Jack barely heard her utter: "So ridiculous…"

Jack, still uncomfortable from their argument, simply gave a slight shrug of the shoulders. "That's above _my_ pay grade…" He eyed the warped figure standing in the foyer. "… but I don't think he'll be much of a problem." The Father seemed unarmed – Not that that accounted for much.

Nonetheless, Jack straightened his back, leaning slightly over the railing to be seen. "Up here, Father." He announced with a hint of preservation. No need to go off and do anything hasty…

"Ah!" Father Wales' distorted face lit up for a split second before falling into a dismal expression one more. "I must apologize, my Lord… I ne'er had the intention of seeing ye in the flesh. But my connection to ye was cut off."

"Cut off? Why?"

Father Wales hesitated. "Sofia Lamb cut it off. She doesn't believe yer the true messiah – She believes yer an imposter, come to take all the glory."

"Trust me," Jack insisted dryly. "I'm not here to take all the glory."

"_I_ trust ye, my Lord – I believe yer the true messiah of the Rapture Family. _I _have faith in ye…"

Both Jack and Holly donned a cautiously confused look. "You have faith in me for… what?"

"Sofia Lamb wants to test ye. She wants to see whether or not yer the true messiah, or an imposter. She's… sent some willing members of the Family." Quickly, Father Wales added: "They're willing to die for ye, my Lord, if it helps prove your existence. Most of us believe yer the one who'll clear the path to redemption."

Right. As if Jack needed to be reassured that a flock of crazed fanatics 'believed in him'.

"So what happens now?" Jack didn't at _all_ like where the conversation had gone.

"Ye prove yerself, my Lord. Show the doubters that ye are the one and only." Father Wales gave a slight tip of the hat. "I must leave, my Lord, but I wish ye luck. We will keep ye in our prayers, and wait for the word that we'll be wanting to hear." With that, he started to head out of the foyer, back to the Securis door that he had first limped through.

Jack exchanged a short-lived look with Holly. "Thanks for the heads up, Father…" Jack muttered under his breath. Hurriedly, he headed for the stairs.

"Where are you going?" Holly demanded as she followed him.

"We're leaving before Lamb's goons get here. I don't have any plans of falling into another trap…"

"You can't leave, Jack – You heard Father Wales, didn't you?" Holly stopped halfway down the stairs, waiting until Jack turned to look back at her from the bottom of the stairs. She gave him an annoyed gesture. "The followers of the Rapture Family think you're some sort of messiah. The moment you leave this building – the moment you fail to prove yourself – the Family _will_ see you as an enemy. Besides… _where_ are you planning on going? Everything is blocked off."

As Holly spoke, there was a muffled sound coming from the walls. It sounded like something was moving through the vents. Out of instinct, Jack looked up, searching for the source of the sound. He looked back at Holly. "Looks like we don't have much choice, anyways."

* * *

><p>Ingrid Sapphire, sitting in front of a vanity table, looked down at the rewired service radio that sat beside a pearl necklace. She could hear the panic in the Ryan's young companion as she asked where the Splicers were emerging from. The sound of heavy breathing and moaning was heard, and the Ryan let out a yelp of surprise. The Splicers were upon them already.<p>

Quick footsteps were followed up by a question. "Are you OK?" Holly asked breathlessly. She took in a sharp breath. "She got your arm pretty badly…" A tearing sound, and grunts of exertion from Holly. "… Here – Take this. I don't think we'll have much time to bandage up. This'll have to do."

Even as the girl spoke, a blood-curdling cry echoed through the room they were in. Sapphire cringed at the sound.

There were no cameras in the Medusa's Resort. Not anymore, at least. There used to be a few in the foyer, but they short circuited after the building was lit up like a match. Unfortunately, Sapphire would not be able to view what was happening inside the building. She could hear it, and make assumptions based on what was said… but a rewired service radio will only do so much for her.

"Sounds like Sofia Lamb is desperate to get rid of you…" Sapphire murmured to herself as she picked up the pearl necklace. It's not exactly surprising… Anyone who poses a threat to Sofia Lamb's 'perfect utopia' is either isolated from her people, or killed. On a regular basis, Sofia Lamb isn't exactly above the latter.

Loud footsteps echoed. "These goddamn gorillas, again?" Jack spat angrily. "I've had just about enough of these idiots…"

Sapphire calmly clipped the necklace in place, straightening it in the mirror in front of her. She brushed a loose strand of brown hair out of her face, gathering all of it up, twirling it carefully. After clipping it in place on the top of her head, listening to the fight on the other side of the radio, she slipped on her heels, and straightened out her dress.

"I do hope you manage to survive this ordeal, Mr. Ryan…" Sapphire sighed, picking up the radio before exiting her bedroom. "It would be a real shame if you were to die before I could meet you."

She walked down the carpeted hallway, listening to the sounds coming from the other end of the service radio. From the sounds of it, the duo was just barely managing to handle themselves. It also sounded as if Sofia Lamb truly wanted them dead…

Sapphire turned the corner, exiting onto the floor that looked down on the front entrance – a large, tall, black-and-white checkered room – and passed the curving stairs that led down. She entered the door at the end of the floor that overlooked the entrance, emerging into her work-space. She had yet to distribute a new batch of Plasmid for the day. Those who relied on the new Plasmids in order to maintain their sanity were probably getting antsy.

As the door closed behind her, Sapphire heard Jack calling to Holly. He was distant, somewhere else in the room.

"_Behind you_!"

* * *

><p>The last thing that Holly remembered was hearing Jack call out to her. The next thing she realized, she was on her back on the top floor, trying to fend off a bulgy-eyed Splicer who had saliva mixed heavily with blood dripping from his gaping mouth. Holly cried out as she struggled to push the Splicer off, terrified that he would bite her.<p>

A loud snapping noise cut her struggle short.

The Splicer fell to Holly's chest, slumping over. Blood oozed from a hole in the side of his head, staining Holly's dark blue frock a dark purple. Holly took in short, panicked breaths, staring at the Splicer with wide eyes, even as it was pushed off of her.

"Are you alright?" Jack extended a hand to her, gripping his pistol. He was glancing around the room, readying himself for a Splicer to jump at them.

"I'm fine…" Holly took his hand, letting him help her to her feet. She cringed. "Actually… my ankle's messed up."

At that, Jack pulled an ADAM syringe out of his pocket, handing it to her. "Use this. I need your help – We're not done yet."

"Where did you get this…?" Holly frowned, taking the syringe anyways. She wouldn't get very far with a busted ankle.

"It was in one of the Pneumo tubes – Someone sent it to us." Jack explained quickly, reloading his gun. "Are you OK to fight?"

Holly tested her ankle, and nodded. "Sure – But who sent the syringes?"

"I don't know. I just saw the Pneumo's light on, so I took whatever was inside."

"Well, who would've sent it?"

"Let's speculate later, Holly – We're not exactly in the safest situation."

"How many more of them are left?"

"There's a couple of those idiot Brutes. Think you can handle one of them?"

"Of course."

Jack nodded, looking over the railing that they were once leaning calmly against. "They're down in the foyer, waiting for us. I think they're at least smart enough to realize that it's too small of a space, up here, for them to fight in." He placed one hand on the railing, giving Holly one last look. "… Watch yourself, alright?" And then, without warning, he vaulted over the railing.

Holly blinked, shocked that he just jumped down to the second floor, and quickly looked down at the Ryan, expecting to see him lying on the floor in pain.

Instead, he had his palms facing the scorched floor as he fell. The fall seemed much slower than it should have been. The moment he hit the foyer floor, he tucked and rolled, stumbling back onto his feet. Bravely, he ran towards the Brute closest to him. Holly wondered where he learned that trick...

Before the second Brute had the chance to barrel after Jack, Holly tossed the first object she could at him – An old, broken ashtray that was stuck beside one of the large pillars that was on either end of the railing. The ashtray hit the Splicer with surprising accuracy, and his attention was immediately focused on Holly.

"Get your ugly mug up here!" Holly shouted to the Brute, leaning of the railing to be seen clearly.

The Brute's face split into a grin, and he stopped at the bottom of the stairs, glaring up at Holly. "I ain't goin' up there, love – You're just going to have to bring your pretty little face down here…"

Holly scoffed, flicking her hand at the Brute. Several small, sharp shadows shot out at the Splicer, piercing into his skin and through his clothes. The Brute let out a surprised grunt, looking down at himself, and then back up at Holly, who was lightly tapping the pads of her fingers against the palm of her hands in the 'come here' motion. "Come on up here, you ugly creep – Unless you're afraid of a _little girl_…"

"I ain't afraid of _you_," The Brute snarled.

"Then get up here fight me like a _real_ man, instead of standing down there like a _fucking_ pansy." Holly smirked, smacking him with shadows once more.

"_Fuck_ you! I ain't a fucking pansy!"

"Standing down there, afraid to fight a girl one-on-one? You look like a chicken-shit _pansy_."

The Brute bared his teeth, letting out a guttural growl before plowing up the stairs. Holly could hear the stairs creaking and breaking from the strength of the Brute, and the speed at which he moved up the stairs. He howled as he charged at Holly, throwing a meaty fist directly at her. Before his knuckles could make contact with her, Holly disappeared from her spot.

She reappeared behind the Brute, watching as his fist collided with the marble railing. Even though it crumbled, the Splicer let out a bark of pain, clutching his fist to his chest.

Without thinking, Holly took a deep breath, giving herself a moment to muster her strength. She dipped low, her arms pushing against an invisible force. Shadows gathered around the Brute, wrapping around his legs and arms, gathering under his feet. He struggled, spitting out insults at Holly, but she didn't hear much of them. She was concentrating on lifting the hulking man off the ground – And lift him off the ground she did.

The Brute seemed more confused than afraid as he looked down at the floor below him. Holly, sweating and breathing heavily, took a few steps forward, holding the Brute over the side of the railing. With whatever willpower and physical strength she had left, she slammed the Brute down, smashing him into the floor of the foyer with something that was a sick mixture between a 'crunch' and a 'splat'.

* * *

><p>It sounded like someone kicked a puddle of slush.<p>

Or perhaps it sounded more like a sopping wet towel had hit the floor.

Jack wasn't entirely sure which description fit the sound the most. He _did_ know that it would be a sound that he might never forget. He knew that one side of his body was sprayed with droplets of blood. He knew that even the Brute in front of him was aware that the thing that slammed into the floor across from them was another Splicer. The knockback affected both Jack and the remaining Brute, though the Brute only took a step back, whereas Jack stumbled back.

"Holy shit…" The Brute breathed, staring down at the bloody, meaty puddle.

Using the opportunity to his advantage, Jack aimed the pistol at the Brute's head, finally able to aim with precision. After three quick shots, the Brute fell backwards, loudly hitting the floor. One extra shot rang through the air – Jack never felt safe leaving those things without make sure that they were actually dead.

"Holly…?" Jack called out, breathing heavily. He wiped blood off of his face, turning around on the spot, looking for Holly. He avoided looking at the remains of the fallen Brute, and especially avoiding thinking about how Holly had managed it. "Holly?" Jack repeated after catching his breath. A flash of worry made him frown. Had she been badly injured?

He headed for the flight of stairs that weren't broken, fearing the worst – Perhaps Holly had been injured right before she managed to off the Brute? Maybe she bled out from something? He _needed_ her alive. Cursing his drastic thoughts, Jack hopped up the stairs.

Jack stopped by one of the large pillars by the railing. "… Holly?" He prompted cautiously. He spotted her, lying on the floor once again. She was on her side, but there didn't appear to be any blood around her. Looks like she passed out, again…

Well… at least she appeared to still be alive.

Carefully, Jack picked her up, draping her legs over his arm, and looping one of her arms around his shoulders. Gripped her tightly, he slowly made his way down the stairs, heading for the entrance of the building. He didn't much care whether or not Sofia Lamb had finished sending in Splicers – He was leaving, and they were going back to that airlock. If Jack needed to hunt down Sofia Lamb and get her to open it, he would – But he was done with Medusa's Resort.

He stopped briefly in front of one of the cameras in the train station, glaring at the little glossy eye. To whoever was watching, it would appear was as if Jack, covered in gore, sweat, soot, and blood, had emerged from the fight a hero. He knew that he had only emerged as a fool, though.

Without saying a word, he turned his back to the camera, and headed into the train.

_**An Atlantic Express Train Station**_

Holly was asleep for a long time before she finally woke up.

She walked through one of the doors on the side of the train car, her eyes squinted at the fire, clutching at a dark, stained blanket that Jack had found and draped over her. As she rubbed her eyes, Jack set down an empty can that once held Spam. "How are you feeling?" Jack hadn't heard her wake up. She might have been awake for a while before he actually noticed. He had been busy with the food he'd found, sitting by a makeshift fire pit he had made just outside the train that Holly was in. It wasn't much – just a few pieces of stray wood, surrounded by some loose concrete that came from a crumbled wall. Any heat seemed preferred, though, especially while sitting still for so long. The North Atlantic was not a very warm and comforting place.

The girl took a few moments, sitting down a few feet away from the little fire. She wrapped the blanket a little tighter around herself. "Crummy…" She finally croaked. "… but a little bit better than before, I guess…" She nodded to the unopened can of Spam that sat beside Jack. "Can I have that?"

Without protest, Jack handed the can over, watching Holly curiously. As she opened it, Jack's curiosity got the better of him. He'd been alone with his thoughts for a few hours, now, and there was really only one question on his mind. "Why did you push yourself, so much?" He asked, holding his hand out to offer her help with the can. "During that fight. Whatever you did, you did it a little too well - You took the Brute out, but you hurt yourself in the process."

Holding the can out of his reach, Holly shrugged effortlessly. "I just… was fighting him, and I guess that happened." The can popped open, and she tossed the lid to the side, eating the salty meat from the inside of the can with just her fingers. Without pausing, she mumbled through a mouthful of food: "And I didn't _hurt_ myself – I only _tired_ myself."

"You don't smear a guy across the floor and claim it just 'happened'." Jack pointed out softly – He didn't have enough energy or motivation to start another fight with the girl.

Holly didn't respond for a while. She was staring down at the can of food, eating what she could as quickly as she could."Well, it happened…" She finally muttered, setting the nearly empty can down, wiping her hands off on her frock, and untying one of the bags on her utility belt. "It's not like it matters all that much, anyways." She pulled out a small, thin, cork- stopped vial. "The guy was scum."

Jack had vaguely heard what she said – He had momentarily stopped listening to her defense. He nodded to the vial in her hands. "What's that?"

Holly pulled the cork out, quickly down the smoky-black liquid inside. She puckered her lips, shaking her head quickly, as if she'd just eaten something overly sour. "Shadow Dancer." Her answer came with a slight cough. She put the emptied vial back in the pouch she got it from. "Just something to help get my energy back."

"Shadow Dancer… the Plasmid? You just drink it?"

"It's more of a little pick-me-up, if you drink it after you've already had your genetic code rewritten to the Shadow Dancer Plasmid. Like a shot of adrenaline – Wakes up your senses." Holly pushed the half-empty can back towards Jack, slowly getting to her feet. "Do you mind if we stay here a little longer?"

Jack leaned back against the wall behind him. "If you don't think you can go on without a little more resting up, then we can stay here for a few more hours."

"I think we could _both_ use the rest…" Holly agreed as she climbed back into the train car. She stopped in the doorway of the car, turning back to look at Jack. "… Thanks, by the way." She nodded curtly, as if she wasn't entirely sure if she actually wanted to thank him. "For the help. I just… I—"

For what felt like the hundredth time that day, Jack's radio hissed to life, interrupting Holly.

At first, Jack almost felt annoyed, simply because he expected the person on the other end of the radio to be Father Wales, Sofia Lamb, or even Lady Sapphire again. He picked the radio off his belt, exchanging a look of irritation with Holly, and opened his mouth with the full intention of asking the other person what they wanted _now_.

He didn't get much of a chance, though, because the person on the other end was eager to speak. With a smooth, southern twang, a suave tone, and a confident voice, the man on the other end spoke. "Oh, good – I finally got through… How are you holdin' up, sport? Everythin' still intact?"

Both Jack and Holly froze. Holly stared at the service radio with wide eyes. She gripped the blanket around her shoulders so tightly that it was turning her knuckles white.

The other end went silent for a handful of seconds, awaiting a response. When he didn't receive one, the man, sounding concerned, prompted "Hello? Anyone there?"

Jack's stare slowly slid over to Holly, who was still glaring at the service radio. He knew that all that was going through their minds was one question. Without doubt, that question was:

How the _hell_ did Wayne Coleman survive?


	17. Chapter Sixteen

**A/N**: Heeey… Yeah. Sorry about that crappy last chapter, and then not updating for that huge stretch of time. If there were any way for me to update you guys without uploading a new chapter, it would have been done : P

In short, what I want to say is that I won't be updating every single week, anymore. I've run out of chapters in my stockpile, so things are only going to get updated when I'm done and happy with them (unless I decide to stop uploading for a while so I can start stockpiling, again). It'll still only get updated on Sundays.

I just wanted to update you guys, since people are probably starting to think I've given up on this, heh… I haven't given up – I'm just trying to get over some pretty gnarly roadblock (which sucks, since one of my favorite parts is about to come up…)

I'm not a huge fan of this chapter either, but hey - We're getting there : )

* * *

><p><strong>16<strong>

_**An Atlantic Express Train Station**_

They both really believed it, at least for a few minutes – They really believed that it was Wayne Coleman on the other end of the radio. In fact, Holly looked as though she were ready to destroy the service radio in Jack's hands just to avoid listening to the man with a southern twang. Not that he could blame her… He was practically ready to toss the radio into the pooled water under the tracks of the train himself. He'd rather lose the radio than be roped into something else for Coleman.

"Listen," The voice called out, keeping a very calm, very pleasant, tone. "I know you're there, sport. I've been tryin' to get through to you for _hours_ – Least you could do is actually respond. Sofia Lamb's got your ears plugged and your eyes covered… I doubt she's even let Wales talk to you, again – And let me tell you, that man is _dying _to have another chat with you. I may be the only radio contact you have until you're out of Lamb's jurisdiction."

That… wasn't right. The man on the other side of the line couldn't possibly have been Coleman. Wayne Coleman was dead, first of all. Second of all, there was, in no way, any possibility of Coleman being this kind without soliciting something out of the duo. Even upon realizing this, Holly still burned holes in the radio that Jack held. There really was no hint of trust Holly could possibly offer the mysterious voice.

"… Who's this?" Understandably, Jack didn't have the urge to get all warm and cuddly with a stranger. "Who's speaking?"

"Well, it's about time…!" The voice exclaimed in an almost good-natured tone. "What took you so long?" The man didn't sound angry, just genuinely curious. When he didn't get an answer, he continued without hesitation. "The name's Augustus Sinclair – Esquire. And _you_ must be this 'messiah' everybody's talkin' about."

"'Jack' is fine, thanks."

"Ha… I figured that's got to be why Lamb's got you under lock and key. You're no messiah, sport, you're just a man. You know that, she knows that, and that's why she tried to kill you…" The man, 'Sinclair', paused thoughtfully. "Now, who's that sweet face you're travelin' with, then?"

"Would it make any difference if you knew?"

"No… but it would quench my curiosity."

Jack glanced at Holly, who shook her head curtly. "Sorry, pal – Not today."

"That's too bad… Not to sound over-dignified, or anythin', but I really ought to ask: Why are you so off-handed, sport?"

"I've had a long day. I've learned quite some time ago that radio messages tend to make things worse." All Jack wanted to do was go home and see his girls, but everyone in Rapture seemed to have different plans for him… "What do you want?"

"What do _I_ want?" Sinclair sounded confused. "Well… _nothin'_, actually. I mean, a _thank you_, maybe - Those supplies you got didn't just come outta nowhere. But there's nothin' else you can do for me that you haven't already done."

Holly joined Jack by the fire, again, donning an expression of great suspicion. "And _what_, pray tell, was _that_?" Any signs of exhaustion seemed to evaporate, with bruised-looking eyes being the only indicator to her lack of sleep.

"Calm down, now, girl…" Sinclair warned lightly. "It's nothin' to get all huffy over. See, there's somethin' you two need to understand: Sofia Lamb _lives_ on the marble pedestal that she's built for herself. What you two did, back there, by survivin' a fight with all the Splicers she sent after you… Well, you've just sawed her little pedestal in half. Really, there isn't much more I could ask for."

"And what exactly does that do for _you_?"

Sinclair laughed softly. "I think it'll do more than I could hope for. We're in a state of constant war, here, in Rapture. Any help I can get is good. So, on that note…" A snapping sound came from Sinclair's end – It sounded like a cigarette opening. "… I'm actually rather busy, right now, sport. I hate to cut this conversation short, but I have things I need to do. I'm sure you can relate, bein'… whatever, exactly, it is that you are."

"You sound _real_ busy – The way you've just been sitting there, waiting to talk to a couple of schmucks you don't know." To Jack, it sounded like the guy was holed up somewhere safe. Apparently, he was safe enough to lay back with a cigarette to have a chat with someone over the radio. And what could he _possibly_ be busy with that would allow him to do that?

"What?" Another small chuckle from Sinclair's end. "I waited to talk to you because I figured _you_ might like to know that you actually have a friend, down here. Well, _that_, and… to be honest, I'm rather keen to have a friend that people refer to as a 'messiah'. It might bode over well for the both of us, actually. So whatever you think I'm tryin' to get out of you, you're wrong, sport."

"That's a hard story to choke down, mister. Wanna try again?"

"What more can I say, sport? I'm a businessman. I have to make choices that make my business stronger. It just so happened that those choices helped you and your girl through a tough situation." A smirk entered Augustus Sinclair's voice. "Or did you want me to say that I have you in debt, now? That you oughta work for me until I'm satisfied?"

"Something along those lines…" Past experiences didn't exactly lead the Ryan to expect anything more from the Rapture citizens.

"Listen, sport – I don't think you need anythin' more on your plate. You're already between a rock and a hard place. Do you really want any more problems for you and your girl?"

"What do you want us to say? Thank you?

"It was my _pleasure_, girl." A flash of annoyance flickered across her face. Evidentially, she was regretting not giving Sinclair her name. "In fact, if you ever need anythin', just give me a shout – Whatever's good for you is good for me."

_Ah_, Jack scoffed inwardly, _there it is… Never were there truer words from a businessman_.

"Now, I'm off. I have quite a few things I need to get done. Besides... I'm thinkin' that I'm about to get a lecture from Sophia Lamb herself." Sinclair chuckled again, though there wasn't much humor in it. "Good luck on whatever you're plannin', sport – You'll need it."

The radio crackled for a few moments, and then went completely silent.

Jack took a moment to look at Holly and her reaction before he tucked the radio away. Her pale, oval face was locked in angry, yet thoughtful, expression. It felt like she was no longer looking at Jack, but staring through him – She was lost in her own mind, with eyes that did little to conceal her thoughts. She was dwelling in her own anger and discomfort.

Finally, she spoke, breaking the rancorous silence. "If we're all done here…" Her voice was distant and soft, but had a slight force behind it. "… then we should be moving on." Her eyes focused on Jack, and she managed to look at him, instead of through him. "… I don't think I can go back to resting, now."

The corner of Jack's mouth lifted ever-so-slightly into a grim smirk. "Funny you say that…" He got to his feet, dusting his hands off. "… I was just about to suggest the exact same thing."

They were eager to just leave all that nonsense behind. Sophia Lamb, Father Wales, Fort Frolic and Medusa's Resort… and that dreaded southern twang. It was no longer a comforting accent to hear… Though it seemed to be everywhere they went. Hopefully that was a trend that would be cut short.

_**An Atlantic Express Train Station, Airlock Prep Room**_

The entire process took quite a lot of time, actually.

Getting on the suit, tying up the back of the legs, finding decent enough shoulder cushions that could be used and then inserting them into the suit, prepping and setting the breastplate… not to mention that the duo had to go find a suitable pair of pants for Holly to wear to 'prevent chaffing'. It seemed that the list of things just went on, and on, and on, and on. Holly explained that this was a process meant for two men, not one, and that's why it took so long. Thankfully, there was a lot of the process that was pre-prepared. If there was anything great about Rapture, it's that nobody had wanted to do too much work for _anything_, and so things were made to be relatively easy. Not that the rest of the city didn't compensate, though…

Despite that, Jack was glad that Holly seemed to know what she was doing, because _he_ sure as Hell did _not_.

"I read a textbook about it," Holly had easily provided an answer for the question of how she knew so much about diving. "Actually, I read multiple textbooks. And some instruction manuals. And some pamphlets." She gave Jack a slight smile, raising an eyebrow, as she picked up one of weighted belts to attach to the Ryan's suit. "And maybe I watched all the instructional tapes I could get my hands on."

"Is that the same as actually going out in the North Atlantic Ocean in a diving suit?"

"Well… clearly, it's not. But that doesn't mean I didn't practice what I've learned."

"You've actually been out _there_?" Jack nodded to the airlock that was waiting for them on the other side of the room. "On your own? With no one to help you?"

"Once or twice. I've been meaning to do it more than just 'a few' times, but time hasn't really allowed it…"

"So you've definitely done this before…?"

"Of course I have – And I wouldn't be dragging you out there if I didn't know what I was doing… or if we had a choice, for that matter. But we don't. If you really want to get to Lady Sapphire, then this is the only choice we have in reaching her." Making sure that Jack's weighted belt was secure and fully attached, she pulled out a long, dark blue ribbon from a pouch in her utility belt, and started to pull her shoulder-length hair into a short ponytail. "After this, we're still travelling by sea… but you won't have to worry about any suits or lack of air, or decompression, or any of this unpleasant business."

"Good…" Jack huffed half-heartedly. "I'll just be glad to get out of this suit. It weighs a ton, and I'm getting some unpleasant memories that are resurfacing."

"That's about 190 pounds you have on, right now." Holly look highly amused when she glanced back at Jack as she stuffed her frock into the pair of ill-fitting pants she had put on. "Why the bad memories? Did you have bad experiences with diving suits?"

"You could say that…" There was a scar on Jack's throat as a reminder of said 'bad experience'. But at least you could ignore a scar. It's harder to ignore where they were about to venture.

"Well, as long as we move quickly and carefully, we should be just fine. Stick together, don't wander, don't stop to ogle at the scenery, and… don't get the attention of anything that has teeth."

"What about Sapphire's Splicers?" Jack didn't like the idea of meeting one of those things face-to-face, with only water and a diving suit between them. He shuddered at the idea of being attacked out in the ocean.

"They… _should_ leave us alone." Holly cringed slightly. The thought clearly didn't appeal to her, either. "In all likeliness, they'll probably mistake us for Big Daddies. They don't have very good eyesight, anyways."

"What _are_ they?" All that Jack's been able to see of these things were silhouettes – He still had no idea of what they actually looked like, or what they actually were.

"Splicers, obviously. And not very friendly ones…" She tugged at the rebreather's straps, looking up from her suit to Jack. "Can you help me with the rest of this, now? If we can get this all done quickly, then we can get to Sapphire's labs, get the Plasmid, and then get to _Sapphire_ within hours." There was a slight tone of excitement in Holly's voice. A smile split her lips, and, for the first time since Jack met her, Holly looked like a kid again. "We're so _close_ to finishing this…"

They were literally hours away from Sapphire.

* * *

><p>Now, they stood inside the airlock as the seawater from the outside filtered in around the duo, getting their bodies accustomed to the temperature and the pressure of the water before they were to enter the sea.<p>

Jack had to force himself to breath slowly. Otherwise, he feared that he may have started hyperventilating. He felt light in the head from the anxiety – Frankly, if it weren't for the cold water that was creeping up to his shoulders, he probably would have fainted. After seeing what those Splicers of Sapphire's could do, Jack couldn't fathom any other reason to entering the open sea… other than desperation, of course.

And, boy, were they _desperate_.

The water hissed and bubbled around the duo, gradually filling the airlock. Jack looked over at Holly as the water started to devour the extremely weighted helmet he wore. The water was already halfway up Holly's helmet, taking over her face plate. It was too late to protest… not that Jack hadn't tried. Many arguments had been tossed about, but Jack knew he couldn't just abandon Holly to reach Sapphire on his own. He couldn't allow himself to do that. Besides, after everything they'd been through, and the simple fact of just how _close_ they were to Sapphire… it was enough to give Jack hope.

Though it wasn't exactly hope that Jack needed. He needed confidence. He didn't know the first thing about diving, yet there he was, in an airlock, waiting to be released into the sea. What if he slipped and fell down a slope? What if the hose of his rebreather caught on something? What about sharks or eels? What about the Splicers? Or the Big Daddies.

"_Oh_…" Jack let out a sudden hiss of air, immediately feeling his muscles tense up. "… My poor heart…" He glanced at Holly again. From what Jack could see, Holly was far calmer than he was. It looked like she was talking to herself, as well. All that experience and knowledge would only help her so much.

Before he knew it, the water had fully enveloped both him and Holly. It was reaching for the very top of the airlock. Jack could already feel the faint pressure of the ocean. He felt relieved for two reasons: The first being that his suit wasn't leaking, as he feared it might've; the second being that the airlocks in Rapture were so incredibly intuitive. That didn't stop him from feeling nervous, but… at least it took some pressure off his chest. Relatively speaking.

After a distant-sounding clicking noise somewhere in the mechanisms of the airlock, the huge, engraved metal door slowly started to open.

_This is it._

_**Canandaigua, New York**_

"Mum!_"_

Sophie McDonagh hurried down the creaking hallways of the Rianofski Household. In one hand, she held a glass thermometer. With her other hand, she was gently ushering a young, brown-haired girl of about ten years of age. This little girl was periodically using the sleeve of her little white sweater to wipe her nose, and, every time, Sophie would click her tongue and pull the girl's arm away from her face, handing her a tissue that kept getting dropped.

"Betty, _please_…" Sophie let out an exasperated sigh, picking up the tissue after Betty dropped it once again. Sophie stopped the young girl, manually wiping her nose. Over her shoulder, she shouted "Mum!" She muttered something darkly under her breath, forgetting that a young child was standing right in front of her, and then stopped to eye Betty carefully. "Don't you dare repeat that out loud." She wagged a finger at the young girl. "… Not until you're my age." She quickly straightened her back, nudging Betty to get her going again.

Sophie and her mother had been at the Rianofski Household for less than a week and it was _already_ feeling like a circus. With five children, there was a lot to keep an eye on, and a lot to keep under control.

Elaine McDonagh poked her head out of a doorway at the end of the corridor that Sophie was rushing down. The woman was holding the hand of the youngest of all the girls, Miriam, who held a plastic doll. Elaine looked exhausted. "Yes, darling…?"

"Betty's got a fever."

"_What_?" Elaine's eyes grew large, and she gently pushed Miriam into the hallway . "Miriam, darling, go play with your sisters…" The little girl, looking slightly disappointed, wandered away in search of her sisters who, by the sound of it, were just down the hall.

Elaine hurried over to Betty, kneeling in front of her. "What's wrong, darling? You've got a runny nose… Are you coughing? Sneezing?"

"That, and she said that her throat is sore." Sophie explained as she watched her mother holding one hand to her own forehead, and one to the young Betty's. "I can't possibly imagine where she could have gotten this from, though…"

With a spurning shove, Betty moved Elaine's hand away from her face, taking a step back. "I'm not sick…" She strongly denied, despite the large sniff that followed.

"Your forehead is burning up, Betty." Elaine pointed out, her tone a mixture of confused and annoyed. Still, she reached for Betty's hand. "You're sick – I'm going to take you to a doct-"

Again, Betty pushed Elaine's hand away. "No!" The girl refused once more. "I'm not sick, and I'm not going with you!" Betty crossed her arms stubbornly. "My daddy always tells us not to go anywhere with someone we don't know…"

At that, Elaine and Sophie exchanged tired looks. This wasn't the first time that Betty has decided to pull the 'strangers' justification. When the McDonaghs first arrived at the country house, Betty wouldn't even eat the meal that was prepared for her and her sisters. The only reason she actually ended up eating it was that Elaine said she would tell the girl's father about her display, which would have upset him greatly. That was a bluff, of course – Bluffing is, after all, what mother's do best…

But, despite showing nothing but a strong motherly kindness for all the girls, there was still a lot of mistrust towards Elaine and Sophie McDonagh. They couldn't entirely be blamed, keeping in mind their histories… But it was highly frustrating, to say the least. Although, in comparison to the rest of the children, Betty seemed to be the only one who didn't want anything at all to do with Elaine and Sophie.

"Now, Betty…" Elaine raised a single eyebrow, giving Betty a mother's signature 'are you sure you really mean that?' look. "I was asked to take care of you and your sisters, and that's exactly what I plan to do. If you don't want me to take you to a doctor, that's perfectly fine – That's only means I'll just have to bring one to _you_. And I'm sure that your father is going to just _love_ to hear _all_ about this…"

"Go ahead, tell him." Betty lifted her chin with an indignant expression. "He's the one who told us not to talk to strangers, after all."

Elaine got to her feet. "Sophie, would you mind getting me my purse? I have Doctor Ryskind's business card in it."

Sophie nodded, and started to head towards the front door, where her mother's purse was hung up on the coat rack. From behind, she could hear her mother talking to the young Betty.

"Come on, then… You're sick – You need to go rest. You're going to have to stay in bed at least until the doctor gets here."

"I don't _want_ to stay in bed all day…"

Sophie scoffed. Betty wasn't all too much younger than herself – there was a difference of about four or five years - but Sophie still felt that she had the right to claim that she wasn't all too fond of little kids. Too winey. Too… self-righteous. The world revolves around them, and if someone breaks that illusion, they throw a fit.

"Don't do that!" An insulted shout sounded from the room just down the hall. "You're going to ruin it!"

"But she doesn't have enough lipstick!" A defensive shout sounded in response.

Sophie frowned, speeding up to get to the source of the shouting. She stopped in the doorway of a bedroom, looking in at four girls crowded around a large drawing. Miriam sat on the edge of one of the beds, looking at the rest of the girls who sat on the floor. The four girls, Shirley, Donna, and Cecilia, were covered in blotches of light and dark colors. It almost looked like…

"… Is that… makeup?" Sophie breathed, her eyes widening. The girls were covered in it, and the drawing… Sophie's stomach dropped.

It would seem that the girls had decided to use Elaine's makeup to draw the face of a young lady on the pale carpet. Lipstick, eye shadow, and blush had been rubbed right into the carpet, and pants and shirts had been used to make the short hair of the lady.

"Oh dear…" Sophie looked back out into the hallway. "_Mum!_"

* * *

><p>With a blue towel, Elaine McDonagh dried the long, brown hair of Donna, who sat quietly in a chair in front of the woman. Elaine looked even more exhausted than she did before. She had just spent two hours washing up the three girls, helping them clean the makeup out of their hair.<p>

"We're sorry…" Shirley apologized for the third time since getting caught. Her hair had already been dried and braided, and she was sitting across from Donna and Elaine at the kitchen table. Cecilia sat beside her, picking sheepishly at her fingers.

"It's _fine_…" Elaine sighed, starting to braid Donna's hair. "I just need you all to ask me before doing something like that. OK?"

All the girls quietly nodded in response.

"I don't even know how I'm going to get the stain out of the carpet, though…" Elaine muttered under her breath. "I'm going to have to run into town to get some rug shampoo."

Well… at least the girls were keeping her busy. There really was never a dull moment. Elaine didn't envy Jack, though… Taking care of five girls was taxing.

Elaine couldn't help but wonder about how the girls' father was getting along. It hasn't been that long since he left, so, with any luck, he hasn't gotten himself into too much trouble… She just wished she could communicate with him. It would sure make her conscious a lot calmer.

"Did you like the drawing…?" Shirley peeped quietly. "Did you like it?"

"It was a lovely drawing," Elaine snapped an elastic band onto the end of Donna's braid. "But it would have been even lovelier had you not drawn it into the rug." As soon as Elaine finished braiding Donna's hair, she paused, frowning slightly.

There was a knock on the front door, following by the sound of the old, creaky door opening. From the front entrance, there was a squeal of delight. It sounded like Miriam. Why was she answering the door? Was it, by chance, their father? Had he returned that soon?

"Miriam?" Elaine patted Donna on the shoulder to signify she was done. Without saying anything to the girls in the kitchen, Elaine hurried out, heading for the front entrance. "Miriam, who's at the door?" Elaine didn't exactly fancy the idea of such a young girl answering the door to a secluded farmhouse. What if someone took her away?

She rounded the corner, stopping one step into entrance before protectively rushing to Miriam, who was in the open doorway. Elaine gently pulled her back, looking up at the visitor – Or, rather, _visitors_.

Two rather tall, rather pale, and incredibly identical-looking rusty-haired strangers stood on the front porch of the house, watching Elaine expectantly…


	18. Chapter Seventeen

**A/N:** Almost back on track.

* * *

><p><strong>17<strong>

_**A Rapture Airlock, The North Atlantic Ocean**_

The dull humming noise that emanated from the airlock's plated door stopped abruptly when the door reached the top of its runners, halting with a another deep clicking noise. There was no sudden rush of water to push the duo back, as Jack had expected.

Ahead of him, Holly turned to look at Jack through the side faceplate on her helmet. She gave him a look that said "Here we go," and then gestured for him to follow. With what looked like an uneasy confidence, Holly ventured out of the airlock. Surprising himself by being able to walk, instead of being frozen on the spot, Jack carefully trailed behind Holly, keeping to the path that she seemed to have mapped out in her head.

Underfoot, the sand sunk and rolled, adhering to the weight of the diving suits, along with the weight of the wearers. The feeling, to Jack, was similar to the feeling of walking across a heavily snow-laden sidewalk in the middle of winter. The only difference was that the improvised divers could use the water to their advantage by gently leaping small distances. It was almost… _fun_, if that word could ever be uttered so far under the surface of the ocean.

But it was true. And, while the prospect of simply being out in the waters of the ocean terrified Jack to stillness, there were only two things keeping him going: The downfall of Sapphire, which would lead to the Ryan finally being able to move on with a relaxed conscious; and the surroundings, and even the picturesque view of the ocean herself against the towering skyscrapers of Rapture. Jack had expected his and Holly's trek to be like that of one through a jungle, where grotesque and violent creatures would relentlessly attack the duo.

Instead, the two were surrounded by throbbing, exotic lights that glowed among the plant life. Lights from the city danced across shells, glass, and debris, creating the effect that the sand and rocks were constantly shimmering throughout the glowing reefs. Beyond the plant life, the wide expanse of ocean afforded a desirable portrait by slowly fading into a dark cyan color, while the curious silhouettes of sea life were still visible. Small fish darted like birds from reefs to reefs, silently peeping out of their hiding spots to examine Holly and Jack as they marched past.

Because of this, it didn't take very long for Jack to calm down. He noticed that his breathing had slowed, and his anxiety level had dropped significantly. While he was still horrified about dying some horrible, terrible death out in the ocean's waters, he still found himself fascinated by what environed him. The glittering rocks and luminous plant life, while nearly trivial, was what kept him preoccupied with something other than the thought of dying painfully.

There was such a stark difference between standing inside of one of Rapture's building with a window as the only way to view the ocean, opposed to actually putting on a two-hundred and fifty pound suit and walking around at the bottom of the sea. There was some sort of peaceful silence that enveloped everything, like the world held its breath in sheer anticipation of something to come. And, even though Jack had the ocean on his shoulders, he could still jump and feel near to weightlessness.

A sunken bathysphere that rested in the sand near the trail that the duo trekked down attracted Jack's attention. Something grayish-white resting just inside the empty and broken craft had grabbed his interest. He glanced back at Holly, who was trying to pull apart a cluster of seaweed that was seemingly blocking their path.

_I'll be fine_, Jack reasoned casually, finding himself making his way to the bathysphere. He hadn't managed to kill himself, so he figured that he'd make it to the bathysphere, no problem. It was literally fifteen feet away – He could make it there and back in minutes.

As Jack neared the bathysphere, a few crabs scuttled away, kicking up small clouds of dirt and sand. A few fish remained in the cracks of the sunken craft, watching on curiously, like they weren't quite sure what Jack _was_.

The bathysphere itself was gaping, as the door had fallen off sometime during its descent. It was beginning to corrode around the cracks left by either hitting the side of a building, or being hit with something of equal or greater size. Small, wiry plants, thick films of algae, and masses of barnacles were inching their way to the top of the craft.

The strange, grayish-white thing that had initially caught Jack's eye was a skull, half buried in the sand. The rest of its skeleton was missing, curiously. He stepped a little closer to the wreck, trying to get a proper look at it and its surroundings, feeling a little uneasy, again. Looking at this bathysphere reminded him of his original fears – It also reminded him of the existence of Splicers in the waters around Rapture.

Jack stepped back, no longer feeling as secure as he did about five minutes earlier. He quickly turned around, starting back towards Holly—

— only to run head first into something, and fall to the sandy ground with a surprised grunt. A cloud of dust was awakened by the commotion, muddling Jack's vision.

"Jesus fuckin—!" Jack hissed, flinching back from the silhouetted figure. He let out an angry scoff, getting to his feet as quickly as he could.

Holly was scowling down at Jack, arms crossed. She watched him expectantly as he got back on his own feet. When he was able to properly see her face, he gestured stiffly to the trail they had strayed from, trying to urge her to move on from the silent lecturing he knew Holly wanted to give.

The girl glared at Jack for a moment longer, giving him a countenance that growled "I _told_ you not to wander." She then turned, which Jack assumed was supposed to be her turning irritably on heel, and then she hurried on back to the trail, kicking up more small clouds.

Well… at least no one died. There's always that to be thankful for.

And, though the urge was hard to resist, Jack managed to keep going without checking out every little thing that caught in the light of the glowing neon signs that hung from the skyscrapers around them. Because of this, they managed to make good distance. They couldn't have been more than an hour or two away from their final destination… Of course, Jack kept forgetting that they did have one final stop to make before heading out to wherever Sapphire was holed up.

Jack never really put much thought into what the Plasmid they're fighting for _is._ Yet, they were almost there, and about to obtain it. What kind of Plasmid _was_ it? And, more importantly, how would it help them? That was what Jack wanted to know. Of course, answers never came easy – Not where he was.

What Jack was _mostly _concerned about was the Splicers that he's heard so much about, but hadn't actually seen. Running into a Big Daddy might be unlucky, simply because they have a tendency to be territorial and possessive, but, from what he's heard, these Splicers would be a bit more than problematic.

For the moment, Jack only wanted to worry about what was under his feet – He felt a little afraid that the sand might just roll out from under him, and that he might lose his footing. Holly had warned him that losing his footing down a slope could be dangerous for them; they could get injured, or accidentally tear part of their suit. Getting hypothermia was not a welcomed situation.

In front of him, Holly slowed to a gradual stop. Their path had turned a little darker – Some of the exotic coral lights had dimmed down, and the lights from the neon signs didn't quite reach where they stood. Sea life, especially crustaceans, still moved about in the thick seaweed and biofouling. Jack looked around skeptically, not sure if this was where they were supposed to be. He didn't see any sort of entrance in the area…

Holly looked over her shoulder at Jack through her side faceplate. Raising an eyebrow, she pointed to one of the nearby buildings, which stood about twenty feet away. There was something in the window that didn't quite look right…

"What the hell…?" Jack breathed, starting curiously towards the windows. Was it…? He let out an amazed huff, distractedly gesturing for Holly to follow. As Jack got closer to the window, he knew that he was right, despite not believing it.

The two redheaded siblings that initially brought Jack to Rapture were standing calmly in the window, watching the duo as they neared. It seemed to Jack that the twins never changed their appearance _or_ their demeanor – They still wore their prim and proper clothing, bearing a bored expression.

"These two are everywhere…" Jack muttered to himself when he and Holly stopped a few feet away from the window, looking at the strange visitors. They really seemed to appear out of nowhere – Especially when Jack least expects it. Have they been following him? And, if so, how have they managed to not get themselves killed? They didn't exactly look like the kind of folk who could easily physically defend themselves, and especially not in a place where it was common to have to fight just to move from Point A to Point B.

Either satisfied with Jack and Holly's confusion, or with their proximity to the window that they stood behind, the copper-haired twins turned and started walking down the corridor that they were standing in. It seemed as though they wanted the pair to follow alongside them.

It was hard to tell whether or not that would end well.

Regardless, Jack led the duo after the red-haired twins, intrigued by their sudden appearance. They've never led him to danger, before – What's the worst that could happen?

Not that Jack actually wanted to contemplate 'the worst'.

They followed the side of the building, keeping a careful eye on the strangers on the other side of the window. The path that Jack and Holly were led down was thin, with barely enough room for them to maneuver past a large patch of clingy seaweed, and, eventually, to squeeze through a small gap between the wall of the building and a large stone and coral formation.

On the other side of the formation, the small path opened up into a dimly-lit clearing that, if it were any smaller, both Jack and Holly would not have been able to fit comfortably in. The window that the twins stood behind was nearly completely cut off by surrounding stone, coral, and lesser plant life.

One of the twins, the female, pointed calmly to the end of the clearing furthest from the window, and then turned and said something to her brother without changing her facial expression. Her brother replied back in the same manner, letting out a single huff of laughter, unquestionably amused. This made Jack a little uneasy…

What if this was a trap?

The thought obviously hadn't crossed Holly's mind, because she had already made her way to whatever it was that the twins wanted them to see. What the girl extracted from among the rocks and the seaweed confirmed Jack's suspicions – Just not the way he expected.

It _was_ a trap.

With quite a bit of effort, Holly lugged out a large, long, dome-shaped, wood and rope-netted object: A _lobster_ trap. It contained one unmoving lobster, and three sea slugs. The strange slugs were what caught Jack's eye – Two of them were about eight inches long, while the third was barely half that. They all had very similar, striated, grainy skin. Primitive armor fringed their edges, and their hump-ish backs glowed from several small, incandescent panels. As Holly carefully tipped the contents of the trap out onto the sand at her feet, Jack caught a glimpse of small, sharp teeth that gnashed in discontent as the slugs were forced out of their spot.

It didn't take a genius to make the leap. It was clear to Jack that these exotic-looking slugs were, without a doubt, the object of fascination for the twins. They were, of course, ADAM slugs.

A brief excitement washed over Jack, and he momentarily forgot about the twins. They had free access to ADAM anytime that they needed it. It was exactly the kind of goldmine that they'd been looking for. They'd probably need ADAM for whatever Plasmid Holly was leading the duo towards... But something didn't quite sit right with Jack.

ADAM, from what Jack had learned, wasn't as easy as a snap to manufacture. That was, after all, the whole reason for the creation of Little Sisters and their protectors. Who knew how long it might take to produce enough ADAM? In any case, what was it to the twins? What would they gain from this? And how did they even _know_ about the slugs? They couldn't possibly have been out in the ocean before Jack and Holly… they don't even look like they've been in Rapture, in fact. It wasn't as though that lobster trap had been easy to see, even from where Jack stood.

Breaking Jack's train of thought, or, rather, completing it, Holly gestured behind the Ryan, a confused look on her face. Jack turned as quickly as he could in the heavy diving suit, drawing his attention to the siblings behind the window – Who were already walking back down the hallway that they came from.

There was no forethought as Jack left Holly behind, squeezing back through the slim gap that the duo initially traversed through. Something about those two twins intrigued, yet, at the same time, concerned him. Their motives were mysterious, and their actions were even more so.

Jack slipped out of the gap, hurrying over to the window. The twins were already gone. The hallway they once stood in was eerily empty. Once again, they had vanished.

"Damn…" Jack cursed under his breath, slowing to a stop, slightly breathless. "How are they always so fast…?" He wondered if they took off into a sprint once they were out of Jack's view. For what reason, he didn't actually know. Not that any of it would have mattered… Jack wouldn't have been able to catch up to them, anyways. Not while there was an ocean, an airlock, and a diving suit between them. It was a fruitless endeavor. But something inside him told him to at least try – Whatever it may accomplish.

A hand clasped around Jack's wrist, and he turned to face Holly, wearing an exhausted expression. He was about ready to go back to their original trail, and he figured Holly needed help carrying the unfriendly-looking slugs. When he turned, his expression quickly was replaced with wide eyes and a gaping mouth.

What he turned to face was _not_ Holly.

Small, beady, human-esque eyes stared back into Jack's. Dark, spotted green and purple cancerous-like tissue covered a long snout, from its very tip, to the middle of the terrifying humanoid creature. Scars, both healed and days old, covered the body of whatever Jack was gaping at.

It looked to be some sort of… eel-human hybrid.

Jack's heart skipped a beat, and he felt his stomach sink into his boots. He knew _exactly _what this thing was.

The thing let go of his wrist. It's long, spotted fingers were webbed nearly to the very tips. Black claws curled in place of human nails, and, when the thing opened its large mouth, there was no missing the white, curved, needlelike teeth that lined the thing's jaws. And, still, it watched him with its disturbingly human eyes.

Jack had just come face-to-face with one of Sapphire's Splicers.


End file.
